Issue Position: Black Lives Matter

Issue Position

I stand with the Black Lives Matter movement and all the peaceful protesters who have been advocating for social justice reform. Half a century after Dr. King challenged our country to truly uphold what it wrote down on paper -- that all men are created equal -- the oppression of Black Americans must end. I am proud of our fellow Coloradans for making their voices heard, but I want this momentum to last long after the protests end.

That starts with voting, speaking to your elected officials, and removing those from office who don't commit themselves to ending systemic racism in our society. And it includes supporting organizations whose missions are to fight for social justice. As a legislator, I will always work to improve the lives of BIPOC across Colorado.

But it doesn't end there. We need strong policies that upend the status quo, including a fundamental rethinking of what our communities need from law enforcement. We need to ask the right questions, like whether an armed police officer is the appropriate response to a call for a mental health emergency.

Policy alone won't fix our system. White Americans also need to begin to address our own biases, and be willing to speak up with BIPOC against injustice and racial violence. If you're a parent, start talking to your children about anti-racism. If you don't have kids, but still want to become a better ally, begin by reading books by Black authors and exposing yourself to the experience of Black Americans. Then expose your friends and family, so that we may finally make progress in ending racism in America. Find a list of books by Black authors here.

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