Steadfast in the Face of Attack

Last week, America was fixated on the culmination of two decades worth of hateful rhetoric that turned violent when a 20-year-old white male opened fire during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. This act sparked immediate uncertainty about its potential ramifications on the already contentious 2024 election cycle. 

Violence, whether legislated, caused by white supremacists, or incited by law enforcement, is nothing new for the diverse communities represented by this network. Until we reconcile and hold ourselves accountable as a country to change the laws and rhetoric that create an atmosphere for violence, we will continue to have these instances where violence becomes an unnecessary answer.

Our communities are plagued with the burden of cumulative impacts such as state-sanctioned violence, mass incarceration, white supremacist and other racially motivated violence, violence against women’s bodies and lack of proper maternal care, housing insecurity, environmental injustice, inequity in education, voter disenfranchisement and many other impacts. 

These interconnected crises highlight why our collective work as Black and Brown leaders across this state is imperative. It’s not just about representation; it’s about creating the capacity to address these systemic issues comprehensively. The stakes have always been high, but the threat that we currently face is both existential and tangible. Our very survival depends on how we respond to that threat in the coming months. The truth is, OUR communities’ issues must remain our top priority as we move through the cycle of education, registration and mobilization.

We all have a right to live in a vibrant, healthy, multi-racial democracy, regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation.

Our communities’ issues have always been intertwined as we have historically and systemically faced violence while pursuing our American dreams. Now, the broader democratic ecosystem is experiencing the reality of violence that our communities have long endured. 

We must remain vigilant in our duty to ensure that our communities are safe from the threat of physical violence at the polls, but we must also remain vigilant in our stand against political violence that seeks to silence the voice of change, the voice of reason, and the voice of hope. Elections are vital mechanisms for our communities to let their voices be heard and also to elect representatives who will make changes that help our communities and not harm our communities.