Justice is More than a Verdict

Statement by Donna Hall, President & CEO, Women Donors Network

We send love and strength to Minneapolis today, to the family and community of George Floyd. Real justice would mean George Floyd would still be alive today. Our collective breath was taken away from all of us the moment we witnessed the murder of George Floyd, but today is not a moment for a collective sigh of relief because this is an inflection point and the work continues.

We’ve known from the start of this highly charged trial that the verdict could never change these facts:

  • The rate of murders of Black and Brown people at the hands of law enforcement remains alarmingly high 
  • Systemic racism is inherent in our systems of policing and criminal justice 
  • Racism, anti-Blackness, misogyny, and anti-LGBTQ sentiments are present in our society daily in overt and covert ways

This verdict will neither change these facts nor the underlying realities that create them. Our work collectively and individually continues to combat hate and address structural racism while we strive for equity. We will resist and continue to persist. Justice for Black America is justice for all of America.

As a network, this is why we:

  • Prioritize funding for Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led and centered work, with a particular focus on women of color-led work to support work that builds power and changes policy.
  • Listen deeply to leaders and movements fighting injustice, move funds quickly, and foster creative strategies that advance systemic change. 

As individuals, we know the work we do matters as well. We must: 

  • Provide space for people to express their feelings without judgment; 
  • Commit to a deep understanding that communities of color have suffered systematic underinvestment, disenfranchisement, prejudice and intolerance. 

 Let’s continue to hold each other close with grace, love and compassion. The work continues, and we are in this for the long-term.

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