Source: ADC

Washington, DC | www.adc.org | May 28, 2020 – As the largest Arab-American civil rights organization in the country, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) knows that the liberation of all marginalized groups is tied to that of our Black brothers and sisters. ADC stands against injustice, discrimination, and racism regardless of the group it is targeting.

Although the systemic racism Black Americans face is a daily reoccurrence, new recorded instances of the complete disregard for Black lives- whether by civilians or at the hands of police brutality- have been on the rise. Ahmaud Arbury, Dreasjon Reed, Yassin Mohamed, Breonna Taylor, and most recently, George Floyd, who was murdered just a few days ago by Minneapolis Police on May 25, 2020.  All of them, Black Americans who would be alive today if it weren’t for the clear racism and anti-blackness.

ADC strongly believes that Black Lives Matter- and we will continue working with Black civil rights organizations and activists to fight against injustice and racism. As Arab-Americans, we must acknowledge that many of the rights we have today were fought for by Black Americans whose blood, sweat, and tears have gone into shaping this country. Although we have some shared struggles, we must also acknowledge that now is a time for us to listen to Black Americans and Black civil rights groups about their unique experiences and about how we can best support our collective struggle against injustice. It is also our duty as Arab-Americans to educate ourselves on the struggles our Black brothers and sisters face and how we can do our part to tackle anti-blackness.

We must also ask ourselves “Have I done enough to rid my community of anti-blackness and racism?” What are we doing in our homes, our places of worship, and our businesses to fight this? Remember, it starts with us. Let’s have those tough conversations and take a stand against bigotry.

ADC is here to listen, to support, and to engage with all groups working towards eliminating racism and injustice in our country. We are also here for Arab-Americans who would like advice on how to engage in these difficult but necessary conversations within our communities.

ADC stands in support with those protesting the recent murders and hopes for their safety.

Please feel free to contact us with questions about what you can do to help the fight against racism and injustice.

---