Communities United Against Police Brutality

The civil rights movement made needed gains, but 40 years later, the social conditions of racist repression persist. Although the U.S. is one of the richest countries in the world, many people of color live in dire poverty, lacking the basic human rights of health care, education and housing. Despite being the “bastion” of freedom in the world, 35 percent of the world’s prison population lives in the U.S. Among those imprisoned, people of color are the majority and women of color are the fastest growing segment of the prison population.

People of color have been maneuvered into fighting one another over what we have been convinced are scarce resources. Though there may exist some uniqueness in each of our struggles, whatever differences there are, we have more in common than not. The system that has been put into place to oppress not only us, but poor whites as well, is what we should unite against. This system has been effective in putting our communities at odds because of the fear of our building a united movement.

As the conditions of the society pit us against each other, they have also led us to the conclusion that our struggles are linked. The fight must be moved forward together. Therefore, activists from the Black, Mexican, Latin@, Asian and Arab communities have come together to move the age old fight of liberation into the future, first, by reclaiming our history and using its lessons to shape our struggle, and then, by once again taking hold of our future with the optimism and courage that will forever change the world. For neither history nor the future belongs to a book or a leader or a classroom. It belongs to the people. So, just as the people have reclaimed history today, so we will reclaim our future.

In commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr., and the civil rights movement of the 1960s, we ask all people of color to stay true to the values of all our fallen heroes. Year after year, the MLK parade passes, reminding us all of the potential of people of color to change their conditions. Our histories speak repeatedly of those who challenged the roles defined for them by their oppressor, those who refused to become tools for the oppressor, and those who died for the liberation of humankind. In uniting with our oppressed brothers and sisters, in believing in the people’s power to effect change, we are applying the values taught to us by these histories.

Therefore, this Jan. 15, on what would have been the 79^th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr, we are calling for a separate rally and feeder march organized and led by people from the communities above to build a united front against racism, oppression, occupation and war.

The first community forum/town hall meeting will be on Monday, Dec. 11th from 6:30-9:00 pm at the Denver Inner City Parish, 1212 Mariposa, Denver, Colo.

—Communities United Against Police Brutality