YWCA Berkeley/Oakland Statement
Dear YWCA Berkeley/Oakland Community,
On January 6, 2021, as we celebrated victory for voting access and rights in Georgia and the decades of grassroots power, vision and leadership of Black, Indigenous, and women of color building on the ground to make it possible, the Capitol was attacked by white supremacists, and our democratic process was threatened once again.
Although this act of treason and terror temporarily disrupted the certification of the election results, our democracy and the will of the people persists. The people rose up and spoke. And our power showed up at the polls. We have a long history of peaceful transitions of power, and we hold these values today, regardless of party affiliation. We can stand united.
We are sending you collective strength and thoughts of healing as we continue to stand united in our mission to Eliminate Racism and Empower Women. Together, we remain united against white supremacy, voter suppression, and the racist violence that continues to impact Communities of Color across our country and in our communities.
We are here for you if you want to connect or are in need of support. We are here to listen. And as we continue to hold the grief, anger and pain of yesterday together. We invite you to take action with us – to support, uplift, and share the below calls to action, from the Movement for Black Lives.
In solidarity and healing,
YWCA Berkeley/Oakland Board and Staff
Take Action With Us:
Call your Senators and Representative (202-224-3121) and leave messages demanding the following things:
- The certification of the presidential election results;
- Each member of Congress must not only condemn the acts of Donald J. Trump, they must call for immediate impeachment. The Senate must convict and remove him from office immediately;
- Censure each member of Congress who has fanned the flames of white supremacist violence and has participated in the effort to stop the certification of the electoral college;
- Elected officials both at the federal level and state level must publicly renounce this white supremacist attempted coup as well as the accompanying attempts to retroactively disenfranchise the votes of millions by overturning the democratic results of this election;
- Abolish the Electoral College.
*Right now, we’re calling for our people to stay home, stay safe, and stay vigilant (follow M4BL channels for ongoing updates).
Check below for resources:
- Click here to read the full statement from The Movement for Black Lives
- Sign up for updates by texting DEFEND to 90975
- To learn more, visit the Movement for Black Lives Website
