George Floyd lost his life to police violence, white supremacy, and institutional racism.
Black lives matter.
We stand in solidarity with protesters in the streets demanding justice for George Floyd and liberation for all Black folks, from ending the state-sanctioned violence of police brutality to all forms of systemic, institutional, and structural racism.
We make our statement to add our voice in support of those leading the struggle, not to put ourselves as the center of any conversation right now. We encourage people to support organizations advancing the movement right now, including those listed below.
We are a labor organization founded to tackle the inextricably linked twin crises of Milwaukee, racial and economic inequality and injustice, by building popular power within the service sector working class whose ranks count disproportionately Black people and other people of color.
The work and lives of this multi-racial working class must be dignified and respected with living wages; the social rights to healthcare, housing, education, and one’s livelihood; decent, safe, and healthy conditions on the job; and, meaningful voice and power on the job, in the economy, and in our democracy.
Our organization of working people will continue to support the struggle for racial justice, including ending state-sanctioned violence of police brutality against Black folks. We will carry the struggle forward in our lane, too.
We will challenge and confront an economic order reliant on labor denied dignity and humanity, largely performed Black folks and other people of color in the service sector. We will organize to build the power to win economic justice interlinked with racial justice for the multi-racial service sector working class, including and especially Black folks.
We call on policy-makers to tackle racial injustice, starting with the demands raised by the movement in the streets. We call on policy-makers to address the intersection of economic and racial injustice and inequality by raising wages, guaranteeing social rights, and putting working class people at the table to make decisions about our economy and work.
Organizations leading the way in this moment and for the long-term who need support include:
African-American Roundtable and Liberate MKE
Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC)
Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT MKE)
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges
Ayuda Mutua MKE and Ayuda Mutua MKE’s undocumented family solidarity fund