A year ago, the murder of George Floyd inspired massive protests and calls for action to end police brutality and racial injustice in the United States and around the globe. There are many victims of police violence whose names and memories must be honored, including more who have lost their lives in the past year. Yet, policymakers have done too little to hold abusive police accountable, much less to usher in a new approach to policing. The lack of justice for police violence, and the systemic racism that feeds into this, is a global issue, one that requires sustained action, political pressure, and solidarity.
WOLA’s mission is to advance human rights and fight for policies that create more just societies. We work with partners to end violence and repression in the Americas. In this work, we must all reckon with how these abuses disproportionately target Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities—from police brutality against protestors, abuses against migrants, drug law enforcement that fuels mass incarceration, particularly of women, and militarized security policies that lead to human rights violations.
The global movement against deadly and racialized systems of injustice seeks to establish a world where all can live in safety and dignity. Today and always, we remember George Floyd, and reconfirm our commitment to justice, equity, and human rights.
