Dear ,

Yet another black man, George Floyd, has died as a victim of senseless police brutality this week. The very same day, a black man in Central Park asked a white woman to leash her dog as required by ordinance, and then video-recorded as she called the police and falsely claimed an African-American man was threatening her life. 

These horrific incidents are just a few examples of the weaponization of racism and the injustices black Americans face daily. Those of us who are not people of color do not know fully how it feels to face such terror in daily life. However, we can all surely see that racism is alive and dangerous in America. 

And we in SanDiego350 already know climate injustices add to the burden by disproportionately impacting people of color.

We believe all that must change. 

SanDiego350 leaders believe we, as advocates for climate justice, must strive for a world where people of color have a safe and healthy future on this planet. 

We mourn the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and too many others. Black Lives Matter. We urge all of our members to become informed about these stories, amplify voices of people of color by sharing their reactions in their own words, and find ways to dismantle racism in America. As fighters for climate justice, we are collectively in a struggle for justice and liberation. 

Here are a few next steps we can recommend:

ACT

• Locally, subscribe to receive updates from San Diego’s local chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), San Diegans for Justice and Black Lives Matter San Diego. 
• Sign the petition and make phone calls to demand justice for George Floyd.
• Sign the current pandemic-related petitions by Black Lives Matter.
• Sign the petition in support of San Diegans for Justice’s campaign for a ballot initiative to establish a community-led independent Commission on Police Practices.

LEARN

• Subscribe to a podcast, such as Pod Save The People or Irresistable: Collective healing & social change
• Watch this 22 minute lecture: Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr. Robin Di Angelo
• Read these books: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, So You Want To Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

FOLLOW these writers and activists on social media

• Rachel Cargle
• Brittany Packnett
• Glennon Doyle
• Layla Saad

With heavy hearts and passion for change,

Kimberly Kishon, Board President and Masada Disenhouse, Executive Director

P.s. As we were going to send this email, we learned that one Minneapolis officer has been criminally charged with the murder of George Floyd. This is in response to public pressure. Keep it up.