The Collective Struggle for Black Lives

John Bono

John Bono

Buffalo, NY is the third poorest city in America, the sixth most segregated. We all stand on stolen Indigenous land and this country’s economy is built by the stolen labor of African people brought into slavery. Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) experience the disproportionate burden of 500 years of state sanctioned policing and violence. Over the generations, there have been many movements to equalize racial and economic injustice. Our ancestors have actively fought against these systems for civil rights. The climate justice movement, led by Black, Indigenous and people of color has worked at the intersections of racial, economic and environmental justice rooted in the understanding that the systems of racial and economic injustice is what is at the root of the climate crisis. And that to address the environmental degradation of our planet, we must first address racial and economic inequality first.

 

This current moment of uprising, catalyzed by the murder of George Floyd, is a pivotal moment in our country because it acknowledges those truths. An awakening, in particular, for white America to no longer look away. By not looking away, we are seeing that racial injustice in this country dehumanizes all of us. That whether we experience that dehumanization from a place of privilege or a place of oppression, we are all dehumanized in that experience. What we are seeing from the courageous BIPOC protesters is the culmination of pain and anger that for so long has defined our collective struggle for liberation. What we are seeing from our courageous white allies is the culmination of pain, anger, guilt, and shame that is now seeking redemption and collective transformation. This movement is about centering our humanity, understanding the conditions that brought us here, and taking steps toward collective healing by dismantling these unjust systems of police brutality and abuse.

 

 

PUSH Buffalo is a community-based organization in Buffalo, NY that has been working at the intersections of racial, economic, and environmental justice in Buffalo for 15 years. We are rooted in the lived experiences of working class people. We are a collection of Black, Brown, immigrant, refugee, and working class White people. We center our member leaders, harness their knowledge of place to design, plan, and implement our organizing campaigns, affordable housing development, renewable energy projects, energy efficiency programs, and green infrastructure projects. Our work is multi-racial, multi-generational, multi-gender. Our goals are, through a practice of care, to achieve a Just Transition to a regenerative green economy. We do not do this work alone. We work with many allies and coalitions locally, statewide, and nationally.

 

Martin Gugino is an elder, and a member of PUSH Buffalo and the WNY Peace Center. Marty is soft spoken, funny, and gentle. His commitment to justice is unwavering. He has attended countless member meetings, and direct actions in Buffalo and Albany to pass the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act – hailed as the most ambitious and equitable climate legislation in the country. As a member, he attends every PUSH Annual Meeting to vote for the PUSH Board of Directors. He helps to serve food to other community members at those gatherings. He is simply a man that shows up to stand for peace and justice. We are first and foremost heartbroken as a community by what we witnessed when Marty was assaulted by members of the Buffalo Police Department, heard the crack of his skull and watched him lay bleeding alone. This is yet again another traumatic demonstration of violence at the hands of those who are supposed to serve and protect.  I will not respond to the absurd comments of officials in DC or in Buffalo. Their tone deafness in the moment is transparent and showing us who they are and their inability to lead. To ALL the protesters: You are bending the arc of justice. Don’t stop. Stay safe and know that you are on the right side of history. Our collective struggle, rooted in love and justice, will not be stopped or diminished. We are powered by our ancestors and we are planting the seeds for the next seven generations ahead.

 

In mutual love and solidarity,

Rahwa Ghirmatzion

PUSH Executive Director

Donald Trump tweeted the following (8:34 AM · Jun 9, 2020): https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1270333484528214018