Dear Neighbor,

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Our country is mourning. We’re mourning the over 100,000 Americans who have lost their lives to COVID-19. But this week, in particular, we are mourning George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless other Black men and women who have been murdered in our country.

I wish that these horrors were anomalies, but they are not. Black men between the ages of 15 and 34 are ten times more likely than other Americans to be killed by law enforcement officers. This is not a coincidence: our law enforcement system is designed to hurt people of color—through racial profiling, mandatory minimums, excessive use of force, and other measures that overwhelmingly target Black Americans. This system allows bad police officers to shrug off reports of abuse, turn racist biases into violence, and get away with murder.

Rep. Shalala Honoring the Memory of George Floyd

And it’s not only law enforcement. Our country is riddled with racism—with centuries of discriminatory laws and norms we have not yet succeeded in stamping out. These policies have created a reality in which even a global pandemic that knows no borders, sees no race, disproportionately impacts communities of color.

Black Americans are more likely to become infected with COVID-19. They are more likely to die from the disease. They are more likely to become unemployed and more likely to face starker consequences from their loss of income. As Zinzi Bailey, a social epidemiologist at the University of Miami notes, “The stories about protests are also the stories about COVID-19 and racism.”

In the midst of this national moment of mourning, I am inspired by the protesters, the vast majority of whom are demonstrating peacefully, who have come together, despite the global pandemic, to demand that our Black brothers and sisters be given respect, justice, and dignity. Even after President Trump stoked violence and called in the military to forcefully stop protesters from exercising their First Amendment rights, Americans of all backgrounds have continued to demand accountability from law enforcement and from their leaders.

I am also inspired by the police officers in Coral Gables who knelt in solidarity with protesters over the weekend. I am inspired by the protesters in Miami-Dade who serve as peacekeepers and work to end violent conflicts that distract from the goal of the demonstrations. I am inspired by the young people who have come forward as leaders of this movement, who insist that their generation will do better. I am inspired by the activists, lawmakers, academics, and researchers who have put forth real solutions to ending police violence and curbing systematic racism. I look forward to doing my part in the House by elevating the voices of my colleagues on the Congressional Black Caucus who are proposing comprehensive police reform—civil rights legislation for the 21^st century.

I am not going to speak about race perfectly at every moment, but I promise this: I will listen, I will learn from the mistakes I make, and I will always seek to do better. Most of all, I will be involved. I ask my friends and neighbors to make the same commitment to listening, learning, and acting that I am making today.

Finally, I want to share a few actions we can all take:

• Share your story. My office wants to hear from you about any experiences you’ve had with racism. Email YourStory.FL27@gmail.com to share your story. I want to highlight voices from our community as I promote action to achieve justice and equality. Note that this email is only for stories; we will not respond to messages we receive here. If you want to email my office and receive a response, you can do so here.
• Contact your representatives at every level. Local representatives have the most oversight of police department operationsso be sure to share your thoughts with your city and county government. Write your state and U.S. representatives to demand that coronavirus relief packages prioritize our most vulnerable communities, including communities of color.
• Educate yourself. You can start by reading this page from the National Museum of African American History and Culture on being anti-racist. You should also tune in to the community roundtable I will be hosting on racial injustice on June 10 at 10:30 a.m. Click here to register in advance.
• Vote. We have an election coming up in November, and local races are often decided by just a few votes. Local officials have the ability to influence a lot of policy decisions that directly affect our communities—including police department operations and local budget decisions.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you need assistance. You can always send me an email or call my office—use (305) 668-2285 to reach my Miami office and (202) 225-3931 to reach my D.C. office. My staff and I are practicing social distancing, but we are able to help you get the assistance and support you need via phone or email. We are also updating our website daily with resources for you during this challenging time: shalala.house.gov.

Stay safe and healthy,