Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® Issues Statement on Death of George Floyd, Calls for Political Action to Invoke Social Change to End Police Brutality
Chicago, IL - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® joins thousands of others around the world in issuing the strongest condemnation of the senseless, unprovoked killing of George Floyd. The unspeakable actions of police officers who killed another unarmed Black man without justification or excuse underscore the structural and systemic inequities that persist in this country.
Over the last few years in particular, we have suffered the trauma of witnessing too many killings of unarmed African Americans in the United States. From Trayvon Martin in Florida to Tamir Rice in Ohio, Michael Brown in Missouri, Eric Garner in New York, Freddie Gray in Maryland, Walter Scott in South Carolina, Terence Crutcher in Oklahoma, Stephon Clark in California, Botham Jean in Texas, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and now George Floyd in Minnesota and so many more, we have watched primetime news coverage of police officers and private citizens gunning down members of our communities and have been unable to offer explanation or consolation to our children. Our members, as wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts and loved ones of our African-American husbands, sons, grandsons, nephews and others, say a prayer each and every time they leave our presence. The uncertainty of which of our Black boys and men will be the next victim of gross police misconduct or baseless vigilantism haunts us daily. This very real and persistent threat to our lives and our right to be safe in our personhood and in our communities must be confronted.
Some in our communities have heard the rallying cry and staged peaceful protests to bring attention to the plight of African-America men in America. Others have resorted to violence born of frustration and grief. We do not condone violence. Instead, we must use our collective voice to speak out against these evils, and we must galvanize our communities to engage in the electoral process. We must use our voices to directly impact local, state, and national policies and priorities. We also must vote to ensure that we elect leaders who will hold police officers who engage in unlawful acts accountable. At the same time, we must continue to engage in measured, intentional civil rights and social justice initiatives designed to ensure that our communities have the same equal protection under the law that is extended to other groups.
We are living in unprecedented times. Now more than ever we must remain persistent, prudent, and prayerful while we demand justice for George Floyd and others like him whose lives have been senselessly cut short without cause. Alpha Kappa Alpha has long demonstrated an unwavering commitment to civil and human rights. It is that commitment which fuels our duty to do all we can to end these senseless killings of African Americans.
