JULY 2020 | ISSUE 2
Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. We know this is a busy time, and a lot has changed since our last publication. Demonstrations demanding change have spread around the world after the violent death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, on the other end of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Social justice is at the core of our values. The communities that are most likely to be affected by climate change, land loss and the threat of pollution along our coast often have significant populations of black and indigenous people and other marginalized groups that have faced oppression for generations. The communities experiencing systemic racism and violence need the support of those of us who are privileged, including environmental organizations like the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. And we also need action. We believe that racial profiling and police brutality are unacceptable. We support the rights of the American people to demonstrate. We share the anger over the murder of George Floyd and those who faced similar fates before him. Black lives matter. As an organization, we developed a strategic plan that includes values such as building collaboration, including everyone, empowering others and driving change. But we know we can do better. We know that we have a long way to go in making sure that we include people of all races and communities in our work and that our organization -- our staff, our board, our volunteers, our partners -- is more representative of the people who live along our coast. We are listening and we are learning. We would like your help. We are demanding of ourselves and our institutions an end to anti-black racism and injustice.
