A Measure of Accountability in the Killing of George Floyd

While one verdict cannot begin to heal the years of trauma that Black people in this country face, this verdict is an important measure of accountability. But justice has not been served. Justice would be George Floyd alive today, living in a world that knows Black lives matter. Justice would be an end to the constant, unrelenting police violence that takes the lives of nearly 1,000 Americans each year and terrorizes the lives of thousands more.

“We will have to do this for life. I am going to put up a fight every day. Because I am not just fighting for George anymore,” said Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother.

“True justice for George Floyd will come from investing in Black people and defunding the police, not the unjust criminal legal system,” reads the statement from the Movement for Black Lives.

Even as the trial was underway, the police murdered another young Black man just miles from the courthouse. The family of Daunte Wright lost a father, a son, a boyfriend, a friend. Just weeks ago, police killed Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old boy, with his empty hands in the air. Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old girl, was shot and killed just before the verdict was announced. These murders add to the constant trauma of living in this unjust, racist system and add to the urgency of demands for reimagining public safety.

We write today relieved that a small amount of accountability has, at last, been applied to a police officer. But we will not let this verdict lessen the urgency of demands for changes to the violent system of policing in this country.

This trial cannot be seen as vindication that the system can work—it must be seen as proof that it is broken.

Our work to transform systems through liberatory public policy and end systemic anti-Black racism requires our community to lean on one another in these moments. “Painfully earned justice has arrived for George Floyd’s family and the community here in Minneapolis, but today’s verdict goes far beyond this city and has significant implications for the country and even the world. This case is a turning point in American history for accountability of law enforcement and sends a clear message we hope is heard clearly in every city and every state,” said the Floyd family’s attorney Ben Crump in a statement.

Incremental policy changes haven’t stopped the killings and one guilty verdict will not, either. We need to reimagine public safety in America.

Communities are in deep pain right now. Each murder of yet another Black person by the police shows we need to transform our approach to public safety. Lives should always matter more than property.

In the words of the Movement for Black Lives, “There is no ‘reforming’ this system—the time is now to divest from deadly policing and invest in a vision of public safety that protects us all.”

(Photo by Jéan Béller)

Against Hate: Our Statement

Last night, a white man shot and killed eight people in Atlanta, Georgia, most of whom were Asian and immigrant women. The horrific violence in Georgia is not just the latest in a trend of intensifying attacks on Asian communities. It builds on a centuries-old history of anti-Asian racial terrorism, white supremacy, and misogyny—little of which make the pages of American school history textbooks.

As journalist Kat Chow poignantly reminds us, each victim of this attack was a person with hopes and dreams and a family "waiting for them at home." We cannot lose sight of this. Even as we move to urgently respond and enact policies to prevent this from ever happening again, we cannot forget the lives lost. We join our Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) colleagues, friends, family, and neighbors who are grappling with fear, heartache, and outrage from these attacks.

As an organization, SiX re-commits to amplifying AAPI legislators, especially Asian women; addressing anti-Asian and anti-immigrant rhetoric; and challenging the progressive movement's frequent silence on issues that impact AAPI communities, issues that also impact many other communities of color. To that end, we implore you to use your powerful platform to speak out and take legislative action to increase protections for your AAPI families, friends, constituents, and communities.

AAPI folks are vastly underrepresented in state legislatures and we need all legislators—Black, white, brown alike—to step into deeper solidarity and partnership with Asian communities to confront this violence.
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AAPI legislators in our network: we see you and are here for you. And we acknowledge that AAPI folks are vastly underrepresented in state legislatures and we need all legislators—Black, white, brown alike—to step into deeper solidarity and partnership with Asian communities to confront this violence.

The violent attacks yesterday, the ongoing attacks of AAPI folks across the country, the 1-year anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s murder at the hands of police, the trial for justice for George Floyd in MN, and countless other events over the last several weeks continue to show the ways that white supremacy and white supremacist violence shape every aspect of our daily lives, our communities, our movements, and our organization.

We know and live that white supremacy is weaponized to divide our communities. As each of us experiences the pain, the grief, and the fear of racialized violence, white supremacy works to try and convince us that this is a time to isolate and remove ourselves from one another. Racism relies on division and fear. It is up to each of us to actively engage in anti-racism work as individuals, organizations and movements. The shared enemy of white supremacy and white supremacist violence must be combatted with a deep commitment to solidarity rooted in our shared humanity.

The resources below can help you and your constituencies report, respond, and join in collective action against anti-Asian attacks: Against Hate: Responding to Anti-Asian Violence.

In solidarity,
Jessie and Neha

Anti-Black Racism Must End in This Country: A Message to White Legislators

See our blog post and other messages here.

We write with the assumption that you’ve seen the calls to be antiracist, the multitude of resources for white allies, and the action steps white Americans are being called to take. We echo the calls to find ways to talk with other white people (including your families and your constituents) about how to show up differently. If you have questions or other needs about stepping fully into this type of work, reach out.

But we are not here to implore you just to be strong white allies in the broad sense, but rather to use your distinct power as white state legislators to fight for racial justice. Do your research, listen, and follow the lead of your Black colleagues on the frontlines. If you’re showing up fully, it is going to feel uncomfortable. You will feel stretched and challenged to partner differently with your Black colleagues and constituents, you will realize there are many things you don’t know, and this will require humility and an earnest desire to proactively learn, grow, and stumble along the way.

What does this look like? Ask yourself:

Have you checked in on your Black colleagues? Have you asked them how they are doing personally and how you can be supportive during this time? When they have made specific requests for support, have you honored those requests? Are you proactively stepping in to share in the emotional and physical labor of advancing racial justice under the dome?

Are you supporting legislation to combat police brutality and advance racial equity? Are you using your privilege to do more than co-sponsor bills? Are you convincing other white colleagues (in your caucus or across the aisle) to sign on; are you calling on leadership to prioritize these bills? Are you championing these bills in your community and with your constituents? Are you giving credit and airtime to your Black legislative peers so their voices are centered?

How do you include and center the experiences of Black voices in the creation of your public policy priorities from here on out? How do you engage and build relationships with your Black constituents? How does racial equity show up in the ways you identify, recruit, and support the staff and volunteers you work with?

This is not a moment to temporarily support racial justice, but to fully embrace the lifetime commitment it will take to radically transform our society, our democracy, and our institutions.

To those of you who are seeking moderate reforms, we implore you to stop, listen, and support the work of your Black colleagues. Remind yourself that you and your family have not survived the terror of white supremacy for generations and that you cannot truly understand the experiences of being Black in America.

If you are struggling to respond to constituents who don’t realize that business losses are replaceable, but Black life is not, that the best answer is policy reform that takes the side of justice, not property protection. Know that history will condemn complicity, silence, or aggression in this moment of transformation. It may be tempting to go for the quick wins, but we implore you step back and center the voices of Black folks who have been fighting for liberation for centuries.

Simply, we ask that you live into a new form of governing--by listening to the people who are closest to the pain.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking this is not your issue, this is not your struggle. We all know that racism relies on pitting working people against each other and against good government; we know that economic pain is used to fuel racial resentment and facilitates scapegoating. We can see all of this culminating in the debates about the protests that are happening today.

I hope you see that each of us has a role to play in building a world that honors, respects and protects Black lives. Our lives, our communities, and our future depends on it.

In the words of Angela Davis, “freedom is a constant struggle.” Are you in it?

--Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

Anti-Black Racism Must End in This Country: A Message to Legislators of Color Who Are Not Black

See our blog post and other messages here.

As leaders of color, our goal in this fight is to honor and uplift the needs of Black folks who are fed up with 400 years of anti-Black racism and white supremacy. We also recognize the unique responsibility of SiX to provide space to mobilize people who are not Black to join in this work and find unique ways to support legislators in our network who are actively grappling with anti-Blackness at the center of policies that have harmed communities for generations.

White supremacy threatens our lives on a daily basis — although the effects of anti-Black racism are not experienced by each of us equally. We are all aware that the racial caste system in which we live and breathe is designed to sow disunity and distrust across lines of difference. We see it in anti-Black attitudes and behaviors in our communities and families, the colorism that praises light skin and proximity to whiteness and demonizes darkness, and the way communities of color are often pitted against each other regardless of who holds political power. To dismantle this system, we must show up as allies and partners in this moment by uplifting, supporting, and collaborating with our Black colleagues and constituents.

We know that so many of you, like us, find yourselves swinging between rage, grief, and hopelessness. We know you respect the needs of your Black colleagues, and that you may also need space to process and conspire, without managing the reactions and emotions of your white colleagues who, perhaps for the first time, are realizing the depth of violence and destruction white supremacy has wrought in our communities for centuries. As you hold this depth of complexity, we ask that we collectively step up our efforts to fight anti-Black racism broadly, which starts with an examination of our own attitudes, beliefs, and actions. We implore you to seek and share resources that can help you take on the leadership of talking with your families and communities in a way that builds deeper solidarity, trust, and connection in this fight for our collective humanity.

Like you all, we know that the fight for racial justice is beyond thoughts and prayers. As we have offered to your Black colleagues, we want to offer partnership with you in this fight. We will be lifting up policy solutions supported by Black-led organizations and creating spaces for legislators to learn about these policies. We will be working with Black-led organizations and movement leaders to bring resources, viewpoints, and leadership to our full network. We will also remain open to new ideas and new calls for action. Let us know if there are any additional supports we can offer at this time. You can send recommendations or ideas to helpdesk@stateinnovation.org.

We will continue this fight and work directly with all of you in our network who are actively grappling with the anti-Blackness at the center of policies that have harmed communities for generations. SiX is here to partner with you and your colleagues to envision a new way to govern, one that centers liberation long promised and never delivered.

Finally, thank you for all that you do for your communities.

--Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

Anti-Black Racism Must End in This Country: A Message to Black Legislators

See our blog post and other messages here.

First, we want to recognize that you are being called to do more than what seems humanly possible in moments like these: lead your community, legislate within historically white power structures, organize/educate/lobby your caucuses, deal with constituents (both supportive and awful)–all while dealing with the personal grief, rage, frustration, and fear that comes with being Black in America today.

We are committed to supporting your leadership and work to dismantle anti-Black racism and white supremacy. We will be lifting up policy solutions supported by Black-led organizations and creating spaces for legislators to learn about these policies. We will be working with Black-led organizations and movement leaders to bring resources, viewpoints, and leadership to our full network. We will be monitoring news and social media for your voices and work to lift them up across state lines. We will be clarifying specific actions that your legislative colleagues must take. We will also remain open to new ideas and new calls for action.

Most importantly, we want to affirm that we are listening and will respond to the needs you raise. We aren’t looking for you to tackle this herculean challenge alone, so please know that we are ready to commit our staff and organizational resources to the requests you make of us. As our team takes appropriate space to center your voices, let us know if there are any additional supports we can offer at this time. You can send recommendations or ideas to helpdesk@stateinnovation.org.

Finally, thank you. We know that you have been leaders in this fight - with your families, your communities, and among your elected colleagues - for long before the protests hit the mainstream news. The work you have already done in your states–including the 136 state and local policies that have passed to combat police brutality since 2014–is a beacon of hope and possibility for the reforms our nation is finally calling for.

Thank you for continuing to lead in this moment. You are the leaders our nation needs right now.

--Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

The COVID Crisis Reveals Deep Fissures in American Society

“Many Americans are now experiencing what poor communities live with daily. We have communities perennially facing lower wages, higher poverty, lack of access to health care, and lack of access to child care. Shift workers, low-wage workers, agrarian workers, and service workers are now being pushed over the edge. We must be intentional about identifying these challenges and concrete about naming and pursuing the solutions. These issues aren’t ancillary. They are central to who we are. The poor deserve expanded and deepened support. The poorest among us are often the people working the hardest. And they deserve to be protected. It is not socialism to have a social safety net.”

-- The Hon. Stacey Abrams, former GA House Minority Leader, on COVID as featured in Elle Magazine April 15, 2020

For over 40 years, we’ve witnessed the erosion of our public structures and social safety net programs while extremists have weaponized the idea of who is worthy of care or support during moments of need. By using a divide-and-conquer framework that devalues some people because of the color of their skin or where they come from, we are all left with a system that is incapable of weathering the current storm. COVID shows us that this old approach to policymaking leaves all of us—Black, white, and brown alike—too vulnerable to ongoing harm.

SiX believes this analysis is central to the work ahead for state legislators and must be core to our collective response. Based on this framework, we want to offer specific guidance to state legislators seeking clarity on how to orient to the weeks and months ahead:

1. Advance race-forward policies and analyses.

From expanded COVID testing to access to health care to paid sick time to expanded medical leave to unemployment insurance to managing state budgets, legislators will uniquely be faced with balancing bold ideas with impactful implementation. Essential workers—nurses and health care workers, delivery workers, farmworkers, restaurant staff, and many others —are more likely to be women and people of color and are disproportionately impacted by this crisis. As you consider any policy topic, we encourage you to make an explicit commitment to ensure your actions have equitable impacts by centering those most impacted in your policy response.

Read this compelling and sobering assessment from our partners at Demos that explores COVID as a crisis of racial capitalism. The report details five essential components of reform legislators should consider in the coming weeks.

Check out www.stateinnovation.org/coronavirus for more information on race-forward economic policies (with links to public opinion polling) that you can use in your state.

2. Protect and expand our democracy.

If we understand the current crisis as an extension of our underlying economic and societal challenges, we must expand and protect access to democratic safeguards—from voting-at-home to transparent governance to equitable decision-making in public life.

To learn more about how we can rapidly modernize and secure our election systems, join SiX and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights on Friday, May 7th. Register here.
Check out this webinar on continuity of governance that outlines how you can do your job as a legislator without compromising your safety or your values of fair, accessible, and transparent government.

3. Use all of the tools you can to effect change.

Some of you may return back to legislative sessions while others of you are facing indefinite recesses, early adjournment, or uncertain special sessions. Although each of your circumstances may differ, we implore you to be bold in advocating for your communities by using a wide array of tools to meet your policy objectives.

If you’re in legislative session, move public policy and allocate public dollars to the response—whether you're serving in a legislative majority or minority. This is a time to connect deeply with your constituents and local and national movement partners, build coalitions with your legislative peers, and dig in deep on both policy and implementation;
Use your relationships with your Governors, Secretaries of State, and other governmental administrators to advocate for your communities. They may be able to allocate resources, take administrative action, or implement rules that can mitigate the impacts on your communities; and
Leverage your voice in public life to share important information with your constituents. Check out our resources on how to engage your constituents online—from social media to tele-townhalls—so you can keep in close contact with the folks you represent.

4. Focus on resilience, not nostalgia.

For many of us, we eagerly want to return to a time before this crisis—when thousands of our friends and families were not taken by COVID, when millions of our neighbors weren’t unemployed or facing eviction, and when gathering at the local watering hole was more common than wearing a face mask in public. But nostalgia can cloud our thinking, even when done with the best of intentions. We must remember how precarious our democracy, economy, and society were before this crisis and remind ourselves of what we’ve learned from seeing the failures of our systems in full view. With this clarity, focus your efforts on rebuilding a resilient, healthy, and prosperous country for generations to come.

We have faith in your ability to lead, even in the most difficult of circumstances, and SiX is ready to help you in the weeks and months to come.