Statement on the Recent White Supremacist Violence
Header Photo by Julio Cortez/Associated Press
The Black Student Movement at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Saturday, May 30, 2020
The UNC Black Student Movement would like to honor and recognize all of the lives of individuals we have lost recently and throughout history due to violence perpetuated by this country’s white supremacist systems and institutions. We add a special acknowledgment to honor the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed, and George Floyd—four of the most recent known victims of racist violence by police or white vigilantes. We solemnly mourn for these victims and we stand in solidarity with both their families and the protestors across our country advocating for an end to this system of violence.
We recognize that these tragic killings are not isolated events, but instead represent a mechanism of the systemic bigotry and white supremacy plaguing our country since its inception. We also recognize that patriarchy and gender-based violence is inherently intertwined with white supremacy, and unfortunately that means that black women, black trans men and women, and other members of the LGBTQ+ community are often victims of this violence yet may not be uplifted and centered in the fight for justice as they deserve. We feel it necessary to say that as we affirm that black lives do matter, we mean all black lives. Along with especially uplifting Breonna Taylor, it is imperative that we uplift the names of Monika Diamond, Nina Pop, and Tony McDade.
The work to eradicate racism and white supremacist violence cannot be labored only by members of the Black community. Silence is violence, and we call on all members of our Carolina community and beyond to denounce the brutal violence perpetuated by white supremacy in this country. We call on the Undergraduate Student Government (UGS) and the Graduate and Professional Student Federation (GPSF) to stand with us in denouncing this violence, along with any and all other student organizations on our campus. We urge all members of our Carolina community to get involved locally in organizing around ending this violence and dismantling the facets of our society that perpetuate it.
It’s not lost on us that we must fight to bring forth justice while also navigating a deadly pandemic crisis that is disproportionately affecting black communities. We strongly encourage that in your direct-action efforts that you wear a face covering and be vigilant in regards to your health and the health of those around you.
It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and protect each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.
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Resources & Next Steps
Petition:
Justice for George Floyd (Fastest growing online petition in US history*)
Donate:
Minnesota Freedom Fund (to support grassroots efforts in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area)
Louisville Community Bail Fund (to support local activists in Kentucky protesting in honor of Breonna Taylor)
Floyd Family Funeral and Legal Fundraiser (Verified)
Get involved in the Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh Area:
Join BSM’s Political Action Committee
Join/Support the UNC Black Congress
Join/Support BYP100 Durham Chapter
Join/Support Take Action Chapel Hill and the Anti-Racist Activist Fund