These past weeks of nationwide reckoning with racism have illustrated more clearly than ever that if we are to be advocates of climate change, we must advocate for racial equity and confront racism.
Part of Sierra Club’s mission is to fight for safe and healthy communities. This also includes safety from police violence. The call for defunding the police means shifting massive spending from police practices that do not keep us safe — and specifically terrorize and target communities of color — and reinvesting it in a shared vision of community safety that actually works. This will not happen overnight. It will happen through a thoughtful, deliberate and participatory process. We want to see real systemic change that will make a profound difference for Black lives.
On Thursday, July 16, the City Council will consider ending Albuquerque APD’s Military Surplus Program. Please join the meeting and speak out.
Here are some other ways to engage and support the Movement for Black lives:
— Here are some resources from the Sierra Club’s outings team on making the outdoors more safe and equitable
— Learn about anti-racism to deepen your understanding of issues. Here are some resources.
— Help promote these events on social media. Share them on Facebook or Twitter. Use these hashtags: #DefendBlackLives, #BlackLivesMatter, #DefundPolice
— Update your profile in FB, Twitter and Instagram
— Tweet out demands for police accountability, targeting local officials or police departments.
— Check out and use this list of New Mexico black-owned businesses.
— Make a donation to organizations supporting this movement:
Welstand Foundation
Black Lives Matter Albuquerque
Here is a message from our chair Mary Hotvedt.
As one of the largest climate and environmental justice advocacy organizations, part of the Sierra Club’s mandate is to ensure that oppressed communities receive justice and experience the benefits of a healthy and sustainable future. We can never forget that the roots of the climate crisis lie in racism, land theft, pillaging, colonialism and patriarchy.
In solidarity,
Miya King-Flaherty
Our Wild New Mexico organizer
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