We condemn the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black lives lost to racial violence. We call for accountability for the police officers who have taken these lives, for those that have allowed these lives to be taken, and for a reform of a law enforcement system that allows for the devaluation and dehumanization of Black life.
Historic, systemic and pervasive racism and traumas of colonization and slavery make people of color, particularly Black and Indigenous communities in our country, fear for their families’ health, safety, and lives every single day.
Until we address the underlying causes of systemic racism and the resulting privilege granted to White people in America, inequality and crimes based in racial fear and hate will continue. Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins said it well when she stated that racism should be treated as a public health threat and, “until we name this virus, this disease that has infected America for the past 400 years, we will never ever resolve this issue.”
As organizations working in Maine that recognize the environmental and conservation movements’ complicity in the systemic racism that exists today, we are working to remedy that legacy and envision a better future with access to clean air, land, and water for all.
We recognize the leadership of frontline organizations and individuals, and stand among those calling for justice, accountability, and an end to violence against Black lives.
Signed,
A Climate to Thrive
Appalachian Mountain Club
BlueGreen Alliance
Center for an Ecology-Based Economy
Coastal Enterprises Inc.
Conservation Law Foundation
Environmental Health Strategy Center
Islesboro Islands Trust
Maine Association of Conservation Commissions
Maine Conservation Voters
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Maine Youth for Climate Justice
Maine Audubon
Natural Resources Council of Maine
Maine Rivers
Physicians for Social Responsibility Maine Chapter
RESTORE: The North Woods
Sierra Club Maine
Southern Maine Conservation Collaborative
The Nature Conservancy in Maine
The Wilderness Society
Toxics Action Center
Trust for Public Land
Union of Concerned Scientists
350 Maine