Racism is real and its systemic. Recently, in an important statement by Former President Barack Obama, he stated that while millions of Americans are eager to “just get back to normal” when the pandemic eases, it cannot be forgotten that normal life for people of color in the U.S. involves being treated differently on account of their race. “This shouldn’t be ‘normal’ in 2020 America. It can’t be ‘normal.’” Reach Out stands side by side with the youth, families, and community members who are not only protesting peacefully in cities throughout the Inland Empire, but are putting themselves on the front lines every day to demand justice.

A normal where violence is accepted is even more traumatic when perpetrated by the people sworn to protect us. And it is not los ton anyone who is paying attention that the backdrop of this uprising is the catastrophic coronavirus pandemic. The actions of too many of those in power reinforce the message that the lives of people of color and low-income individuals truly do not matter to them. Over the past week, thousands of people marched peacefully to protest a system that enacts daily violence against communities. Reach Out stands with #BlackLivesMatter and will continue to do all in our combined ability to change the root cause of injustice, inequity, and oppression of marginalized communities in the Inland Empire and beyond.

Sincerely,

Diana Fox
Executive Director | Reach out