Black Lives Matter. The Massachusetts Women’s Forum stands against racism and with those protesting its ravages past, present, and future. Not just active hate but also passive contempt. As women leaders, mothers, daughters, and agents of change, we are united by a shared passion for individually and collectively shaping the world according to American values – equality and justice for all. We are in deep mourning for George Floyd, senselessly killed at the hands of police, those pledged to protect him, protect all of us no matter the color of our skin. We are in deep mourning for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Christian Cooper, for every victim of racism over the last four centuries.
We stand for those lost, those who survived, and those who fear every day because of racism. We call for police reform. We demand that our police and institutions, our leaders and citizens, our society’s laws and norms, renounce racism and stop the killing of our black and brown family.
Today is not about one moment in time. Our nation must face the history of dehumanization and forced submission and the lived experience of black families. Each of us must look within, ask why, and find our personal role forward. It is we who change our society, we who sound the alarm, we who build our institutions, we who make our law, and we who keep watch.
The Massachusetts Women’s Forum acknowledges that in our everyday actions we must use our power and platform to listen, question, educate, unite, and act. We commit to advocate for equity, justice, and change. We pledge to bind together and work to lead our beloved United States of America to live up to its hallowed principles, universal values, and just laws.
We stand with those who shout and whisper, scream and cry, for justice: in daily life, in protest, in chambers of government, in business rooms, in classrooms, and in the voting booth.
