Solidarity with Black Lives | Take Action for Black Lives
Earlier this week in the wake of the protests that erupted nationwide following the death of George Floyd, calling for an end to decades long police violence that has been plaguing Black communities, Way to Win issued the following note in an email to our community. Then and now we stand in solidarity with those seeking justice and reform because Black lives matter.
It’s hard to find words to convey our sadness and anger over the repeated killing of Black people in America, which have sparked the past days of protests across the country. We are all feeling the pain of racism, individual and systemic, that is killing Black communities — from COVID-19 to mass incarceration to the long legacy of exploitation and enslavement — and we know that among Black movement leaders, there is a particular depth of pain and exhaustion that is magnified. Today we mourn George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and all of the men and women, children and families, who have suffered because of cultural and state violence.
Moments like these remind us why we built Way to Win. Like our partners at WDN, Solidaire, and others have known for years, traditional philanthropy follows their boards and traditional political donors follow beltway consultants — neither follow movement leaders on the ground. It is incumbent upon us all to bring an intersectional lens to all political strategy, grounded in multiracial coalition building, which is the only way we build power in 2020.
That is why in this moment we ask you to join us in action — which our partners in the movement are also calling on us to do. Here are three actions we can all take right now:
- Give* to support the freedom fighters on the front lines. The most urgent ask we are being told is for the bail funds list the Movement for Black Lives is compiling. We also suggest giving to the Emergent Fund, which is led by movement leaders and is equipped to move money quickly in response to crisis needs on the ground.
*Note* Many of the bail funds listed have since reached their goals and may ask that donations be redirected elsewhere.
- Sign up for the Movement for Black Lives’ week of action by texting ActionNOW to 90975.
- Share your support of the movement by changing your social media profile picture to the image below.
Our role has never been clearer. We must continue to support the hard work of building multi-racial coalition power so that we can all benefit from a new politics and a new governance, and we must challenge systemic white supremacy within political and philanthropic giving. We will adapt and respond as the world continues to shift beneath our feet, laser focused on ensuring resources needed to win this election go where they need to go.
This is a moment when we all have to go all in. Thank you for your leadership. The future is what we make it, together.
In Solidarity,
Tory, Jenifer, and Leah
Way to Win Co-Founders
