May 28, 2020
New York, NY — As Black and Latino men, our existence is threatened daily. As Black and Latino men, we are seen as targets and dispensable. As Black and Latino men, our lives matter. The tragic and untimely deaths of Ahmaud Arbery & George Floyd and the blatantly false accusations that could have jeopardized the life of Christian Cooper highlight systemic and institutional racism and the hatred of Black lives.
For the past few years, events captured by social media have heightened the awareness of issues that Blacks and African Americans have suffered since slavery. Now, more than ever, all people must stand up for and against injustice. The Hermanos of La Unidad Latina, with shared lived experience, stand with Black Lives Matter in solidarity against racism and police brutality.
We ask all our members and supporters to act within their communities. This is a time for all Americans to advocate and fight for change. Collaboration with community leaders, law enforcement and private citizens is needed to bring an end to systemic racism.
“…I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality, and humanity. And so in a real sense our nation’s summers of riots are caused by our nation’s winters of delay. And as long as America postpones justice, we stand in the position of having these recurrences of violence and riots over and over again. Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention.” – Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.