Dear friends,
Today we write to you in remembrance of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless others. We write to you in solidarity with Black communities across the nation.
We face the reality that is our deeply broken criminal law system. This system, like all of the well-established systems in America, is one built to diminish the power of minorities, especially Black people. Time and time again we witness the ways our government has institutionalized hostility towards Black individuals and communities. We condemn not only the recent wrongful killings of George, Breonna, and Tony, but also the recurring killings of Black people by the hands—and knees—of the police.
While the world has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, Black communities, along with Latinx and Pacific Islander communities, have been disproportionately devastated by this virus. The recent acts of violence against Black people, together with the disparate effects of COVID-19 make it all the more urgent for Asian American communities to acknowledge the cruel realities experienced by Black America. This said, it is extremely salient to highlight that Asian American progress has only been possible because of the efforts made by Black communities during the civil rights movement. Without the earth-shattering work of Black civil rights activists, Asian Americans and other non-Black people of color alike would not have the liberties we enjoy today. It is our responsibility to speak out and stand up against police violence against Black communities.
To that end, AAMPLIFY commits to:
Matching donations to Anti Police Terror Project (@antipoliceterrorproject), TGI Justice Project (@tgijustice), Young Women’s Freedom Center (@young_women_free), Black-led Bay Area-based organizations that work to eradicate police terror in communities of color; to challenge and end the human rights abuses committed against transgender, gender-variant, and intersex people in California prisons and jails; and empower formerly incarcerated girls, women, and TGNC people, respectively. The AAMPLIFY Board will personally match donations up to $3,000.
Educating and creating space to confront racism and anti-Blackness in our families and communities. We commit to dismantling oppressive systems and combating anti-Blackness among Asian Americans by calling out and having dialogue about systemic and interpersonal racism whenever we see it. First and foremost, we are educating ourselves. We have compiled a list of educational resources and encourage everyone to pick at least one article to read (then pick another and another…): https://www.aamplify.us.org/resources
More broadly, we also vow to advocate for policy changes on local, state, and federal levels to support an end to police violence and militarization.
To our Black siblings: we acknowledge your pain, anger, and grief. We see you; we hear you. Above all, we are dedicated to leveraging our resources and privilege to fight for racial justice. Black Lives Matter.
In Solidarity,
AAMPLIFY
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
Make a donation to the organization of your choice: @antipoliceterrorproject, @tgijustice, @young_women_free
Share your receipt by posting on your IG and tagging @AAMPLIFY.US to encourage others to do the same (or simply DM us your receipt)
We will match your donation and send you a confirmation
Your money goes twice as far and these incredible causes get double the benefit!
