Last week, once again, we woke up to the tragic news of another act of police violence in the United States.
Sonya Massey, a Black woman, was murdered in her own home after calling the police for help. This tragedy is compounded by an alleged cover-up attempt, based on what the police department initially communicated to her family around the circumstances of her death.
Sonya Massey should still be alive today. Instead, she became another victim of a policing system that continues to devalue the lives of Black people. This painful tragedy echoes the ongoing trauma that Black communities endure. For many, it underscores the harsh realities of racial violence and injustice in the United States and beyond, stirring deep feelings of personal and intergenerational trauma. It’s why we must ensure that our spaces are supportive and inclusive, and that we are acknowledging the impact of such news.
It also highlights the urgent need for strong action against police brutality and dismantling the systemic racism within the law enforcement and justice systems in the United States. It’s imperative that we rethink our approach to public safety and demand real policy changes that ensure justice for the victims of police brutality. We must advocate for investments in unarmed first responders who are trained to handle crises without resorting to violence. We need to promote sensible gun control laws, fund prevention strategies, and invest in community solutions that can prevent these tragedies from happening again.
Corporate Accountability stands by the statement we made four years ago that it’s not enough to cry “Enough!” when we continue to receive news of police violence without any accountability. In this moment, I ask each of you to reaffirm your commitment to dismantle anti-Black racism and stand together against injustice in your own communities.
In addition to protesting, we must also support Black-led movements and initiatives that are organizing for justice and liberation, that are creating alternative approaches to policing and community safety, and that are working to end police brutality, especially toward Black women, girls, and trans and gender-nonconforming folks. This includes organizations like:
We at Corporate Accountability will also continue to deepen our commitment towards advancing racial justice and challenging corporate abuse, particularly through the Black Collective program. You can learn more about our work and what we aim to accomplish over the next several years in our campaign framework.
