Standing in solidarity

A statement from the Southern Environmental Law Center Executive Director Jeff Gleason:

The horrific murders of George Floyd, and of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery before him, are the latest tragic reminders of the injustice Black Americans face on a daily basis. Whether it is being shot in bed in Kentucky or while jogging in Georgia, or being coldly murdered on a Minneapolis street, we must not allow these deaths to go unheeded.

This is not just about these murders, as tragic as they are—this is about the systemic racism that permeates our country and it’s about all of us. It is the responsibility of each of us, especially white Americans, to acknowledge this racism, to examine our personal and work lives, to confront racism and inequality where it exists, and to seek justice. This is the least we can do to honor the legacies of Mr. Floyd, Ms. Taylor, and Mr. Arbery. 

All of us at SELC stand in sadness, anger, and solidarity in calling for justice for the lives lost. Our commitment has never been stronger to work alongside our communities and our partners to confront environmental injustice and to work for a more just society.