LCLAA on Black History Month

Washington, DC - Today, LCLAA joins the nation in celebrating the start of Black History Month. We pay tribute to the countless African Americans and Afro-Latinos throughout history that have pushed our country, our communities, and our movement forward. Through their contributions, African Americans and Afro-Latinos have enriched a nation that has and continues to fail them. 

Throughout our nation’s history, the right for African Americans and Afro-Latinos to vote was either non-existent or severely restricted. They have been deliberately excluded from federal and state programs and have been systematically shut out from opportunities in higher education. Racist policies such as redlining have made it easier for the government to abandon Black neighborhoods. African American still to this day do not earn the same as their White counterparts. The list goes on. 

In almost every sector and in almost every avenue African Americans have been discriminated against. This discrimination is not only painful, but as we have seen from the shooting in Buffalo last year and the killing of Tyre Nichols last month, it is incredibly dangerous. 

While Black History Month is a time to remember and honor the giants whose shoulders we stand on, it is also a time for us to hold ourselves and our institutions accountable. Since 2020 and before, organizations and activists have called for additional education on diversity, equality and inclusion. This education is vital for the health and safety of minorities, but alone it can not unravel the systemic racism that has plagued our country.