Latinx community organizations condemn anti-Black attacks - 2501 - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News

As Latinx community organizations from across the Chicagoland area, we are coming together to issue the following statement regarding the blatant attacks perpetuated by some groups of non-Black Latinxs against Black people in the last few days. We call for unity among Latinxs to defend all Black lives and for an end to these racist, vile attacks.

The organized groups "protecting" private property and violently targeting Black people are collaborating with the police in repressing a movement that means liberation for all of us. This latest round of anti-Black violence on behalf of non-Black Latinx communities is just another example of the ways that non-Black Latinxs have historically been willing to defend white supremacy, at the expense of Black lives, safety and dignity.

Anti-Blackness has been used as a tool to separate oppressed communities throughout US history. Chicago's mayor is currently instigating and benefiting from this just by increasing police presence and funneling people and their righteous protest away from the Downtown area. In predominantly Latinx communities, limited resources are given to us by this racist government, forcing us to compete for them. It is in the context of continued violence towards Black folks in brown communities, that police officers are showing up to witness, allow and even encourage this type of racist violence. Ultimately we know that the only ones who stand to benefit from this sort of collusion are the cops and the white supremacist system they uphold. In any other given day, those same police officers can be found chasing down our loved ones, framing them for murder, caging them and placing them in deportation proceedings without any regard for our communities' safety or well being.

Our movements have been their strongest and most successful when we collaborate and support our Black family. Millions of Latinxs in the US and abroad identify as Afrolatinx, and even if they did not, many of our relatives are externally racialized by their skin as targets of police violence against Black bodies in the United States. Issues that affect Afrolatinxs are by definition Latinx issues. Our liberation is not possible without the liberation of Black people. Our successes in freeing our political prisoners, demanding equal access to food, health, and education have all been possible through Black and Brown unity. In this moment of heightened aggressions towards Black people, there have been multiple community efforts organized to provide mutual aid, including safe escorting for Black people in areas where they're particularly targeted, support for getting access to food and other needed resources, and de-escalation. A number of organizations will be sharing a website that centralizes resources to connect to those efforts.

We are heartbroken and enraged to see this racist violence envelop our communities, and are committed to engaging in the long-term political work it will require to eradicate it. This includes the everyday work of interrupting the anti-Black discourses, actions and microaggressions that our families, close ones, and networks replicate. We will not stand idle, or hide behind false notions of "culture" or "raza" to allow violent attacks against our Black relatives. We are in the process of coming together to determine a collective, concerted response that publicly represents our repudiation of this violence and our commitment to Black lives. Join us. ( SEE LIST OF SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS BELOW )

This statement is endorsed by the following organizations:

Accion e comunicado es endosado por las siguientes organizaciones:

Accion Dominicana Chicago

Alpha Psi Lambda

The Anhelo Project

Brighton Park Neighborhood Council

Centro de Trabajadores Unidos

Chicago Boricua Resistance

Chicago Community and Workers' Rights

Chicago Dyke March Collective

Chicago Latina Moms

Chicago Teachers Union Latinx Caucus