The Pacific Council on International Policy stands by all communities feeling the hurt and anger of the racial injustices and violence our Black community faces on a daily basis. As an organization that looks at issues through a local-to-global lens, we recognize that systemic racism in our own country negatively affects not only lives in the United States, but our country’s global standing and leadership. Protesters around the world have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and racial discrimination, alongside U.S. cities including Los Angeles. 

For the past 25 years, the Pacific Council has strived to build a world where people from all walks of life are engaged in international policy discourse. For us to continue to make progress, we must acknowledge webs of oppression everywhere, both at home and internationally. Our mission—to build the capacity of Los Angeles and California to have impact on global issues, discourse, and policy—demands that all community members have equitable access to methods of impact, and we know that is not the case when it comes to those who have experienced racial discrimination, especially Black people across America.

Systemic racism hurts our country not only domestically but internationally. 

Systemic racism hurts our country not only domestically but internationally. It is the responsibility of organizations like ours to acknowledge our privilege, to educate ourselves and others, to share resources, to engage in conversations about oppression, to teach our youth what matters, and most importantly: to take action through civil discourse, policy analysis, and community engagement. 

The tragic murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are etched into history with so many who fell before them. We must end systemic racism which has gone on far too long. Too many lives have been lost, and too much suffering has occurred. It is not enough that we are non-racist. We must be anti-racist.

For those looking for ways to take action, we encourage you to reach out to organizations focused on combatting injustice and its effects, including Los Angeles Urban League, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., the Equal Justice Initiative, Color of Change, The United Way, and the Advancement Project.

As a nation and as an international policy community, we must be better for our fellow citizens and affirm that Black lives do matter.