In Solidarity with Charlottesville

Featured Photo by niXerKG / CC BY

The murder of civil rights activist Heather Heyer, intentionally run over at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia has sparked outrage and brought sadness across the nation. This is only the latest among many other acts of terrorism carried out by individuals and armed gangs of white supremacists. This pattern of racist attacks springs from the endemic conditions of violence that have been simmering in our country ever since Donald Trump promised to “build a wall” to “make America great again.”

These criminal acts and the president’s rhetoric form part of a long and disgraceful legacy that includes the genocide of indigenous peoples, the enslavement of Africans and African Americans, and the discriminatory laws and institutions imposed on immigrants and people of color.

Food First stands in solidarity with the communities under assault. We join with the millions of people and organizations denouncing these crimes, and we call upon our government, the private sector, and civil society to sanction the people and the groups perpetrating a climate of violence and hate in the United States. Everyone with a belief in basic human rights has an obligation to reject all forms of racism and to denounce any complicity with white supremacy.

With over 41 years fighting to end the injustices that cause hunger, Food First is no stranger to the racism and violence that permeates our food system and our society. We’ve also had the privilege of working with and amplifying the voices of the communities building equitable and sustainable food systems. Their tireless work and fearless commitment to human dignity fill us with hope for a better world in which no one will suffer from hunger or violence. We ask you to stand with them—and with us—today, tomorrow, and as long as it takes to ensure our food system and our society are built on caring, belonging, and a reverence for our sacred planet.

Click here to read more from Food First on the intersections of white supremacy and our food system.