WS Chronicle

The inauguration comes in the shadow of violent Capitol riots in which white supremacists, pro-Trump supporters stormed the legislature as U.S. Representatives and Senators worked to certify the final votes of the Electoral College. Advancement Project National Office, a national civil rights and racial justice organization released the following statement.

“The inauguration of Kamala Harris as the nation’s first Black and South Asian Vice President is the result of the tireless work of Black women who chose an inclusive democracy over the country’s racist legacy. It is the result of young people of color voting unapologetically for a transformative agenda on policing, voting rights, climate change, education and immigration. This cannot be lost in our conversations around this historic inauguration.

“We also know that the movement for racial justice must continue to organize and engage communities across the country to hold the new Administration accountable to their promises and policy platforms. With the nation reeling from a global health pandemic that knows no race or nationality, unjust police killings claiming the lives of the Black and Brown, an economic crisis, and a rapidly deteriorating environment, we cannot afford to go back to the pre-Trump status quo,” continued Dianis. “Communities of color voted for bold and audacious solutions to the nation’s most pressing issues.

“It is clear that under a Biden-Harris Administration, we must continue to organize to protect our democracy. We must fight and thwart disinformation that threatens to silence the voice of Black and Brown communities. We must also work to dismantle the carceral state and invest in the infrastructure that will truly make all people free and safe.”   

– Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of Advancement Project National Office.