This Juneteenth Stand With the Movement for Black Lives

The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Riah Milton, Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells, Rayshard Brooks, Ahmaud Arbery, Robert Fuller, Malcolm Harsch, Oluwatoyin Salau, and countless others by police officers and vigilantes have sparked a national and international movement against police brutality and white supremacy.

Juneteenth, June 19, is the annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. This Juneteenth, the Movement for Black Lives has organized the SixNineteen mobilization to demand Defund the Police; Invest in Black Communities; and the Resignation of Donald Trump.

The Oakland Institute recognizes that these goals are inherently connected to our mission because the power structures and ideologies that prop up inequity and corruption abroad are identical to the ones supporting white supremacy and oppression here in our communities. In order to continue our fight for global social, economic, and environmental justice, we must dismantle white supremacy and institutionalized racism in America.

We are proud to join the SixNineteen mobilization and the demand to defund the police, invest in Black communities, and call for the resignation of Donald Trump. We urge you to join us. Demonstrate with SixNineteen this weekend, donate to the Movement for Black Lives, and stay informed by texting DEFEND to 90975.

We also know so many of you are engaging in a myriad of ways — and want to get this opportunity out there for anyone who is looking for a way to engage and/or thinks this would be a good opportunity for your members, community, sector. You may sign up to Host an Event or Action (big or small) in your community. so if you can encourage members of your organization, community, or sector to sign up to host, please send them to this link: https://act.sixnineteen.com/signup/host.

In solidarity,