At The Alliance for Appalachia we recognize the systemic, institutionalized and individual racism that is still very alive in our nation today and we see our struggle for justice in the Appalachian mountains as bound up with struggles for liberation, self-determination, and freedom from police violence in communities of color within our mountains and across our globe. We express our solidarity with the community of Ferguson and all communities organizing against police violence and oppression.
At The Alliance for Appalachia we work to build a world in which:
We, residents of mountain communities, are able to determine the futures of our communities; where political discourse is public, is welcomed, is impactful, and is free of corporate interests. We envision a world in which all people have access to clean water, clean air and a healthy land base–and a world in which these resources are owned and shared locally. We envision a world in which successful development is measured by the degree to which local economies are robust and lasting, and in which diversity, collaboration, safe working conditions and self-empowerment are pillars of those economies.
We know that progress toward such a vision is only possible through combating the violence of racism.
Along with our allies in the Climate Justice Alliance, we know that:
More than one person per day is killed by local police officers in the U.S. And according to data reported by local police agencies to the FBI, white police officers on average kill two Black people per week. Black men make up more than 50% of the youth under twenty years of age killed by police.
We encourage our friends in the mountains and our friends across the globe to contribute to support ongoing efforts in Ferguson by donating to the organizer fund: http://obs-onthemove.org/support-obs/
In Solidarity,
The Alliance for Appalachia
