Newtown, CT — Sandy Hook Promise stands in solidarity with those grieving the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Black Americans across this country who are being killed by police violence and subjected to systemic injustice. We demand action now to end the vicious cycle of racial inequality.
We must have a legal system where everyone — and every community — is afforded dignity and respect; where “protect and serve” in law enforcement is a universal mandate, free of police brutality.
Sandy Hook Promise was born of collective trauma. With a heartfelt mission to protect ALL kids from violence, our work is rooted in community-based solutions that value all races and ethnicities. Children have a right to be safe wherever they are: at school, at home, and in communities. We believe that teaching kids to value inclusivity, speak up against injustice and victimization, and get help for those who need it will ensure a just future for everyone.
This work cannot succeed if we do not also make real, effective reforms at all levels of government and in our society to end systemic racial injustice. Together, we can create the nation we aspire to pass down to our children—a society we have yet to see, but know is possible.
Creating this new nation requires immediate and continuous action. At Sandy Hook Promise, we are taking a hard look at our programs to ensure they are anti-racist and align with our steadfast commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We will lift up the voices of the marginalized and support collective action to end injustice.
We urge you to join us in taking action now against racism, inequality, and police brutality. Here are a few ways that you can join us and help:
- Seek out and support organizations whose primary mission is to end systematic injustice, police violence, and racial inequality, including:
- Educate yourself, your family, and friends about the issues of racial inequality and police violence. Read articles and books to understand the experience of people of color, and the history of racial injustice in our country. Here’s a start.
- Vote your values. Systemic change can only happen when we, as voters, elect representatives who will translate our demands for justice into laws and practices.
While solving systemic injustice is difficult, it is not impossible. The only way we can get there is by working together. Don’t be silent. Be a part of the solution.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to end school shootings and create a culture change that prevents violence and other harmful acts that hurt children. Through its life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP educates and empowers youth and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others. Through nonpartisan policy and partnerships, SHP advances gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education at the state and federal levels that protect all children from gun violence in their schools, homes, and communities. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Learn more at www.sandyhookpromise.org
Media Contact:
Aimee Thunberg, Senior Director, Communications, Sandy Hook Promise | [email protected] | 646-761-5579