The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and many others before them are manifestations of deeply entrenched structures of racism within the United States.

It is these structures that account for the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the very same communities that are subject to racial violence.

“Genuine solidarity and outrage must include concrete actions at local, national and global levels to dismantle these structures of racial oppression. For years, social movements across the U.S. have been articulating a path forward that includes divesting in militarization and securitization of communities, and instead investing in health care, education and other essential human rights,” said E. Tendayi Achiume, faculty director of the Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA Law and United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

Kate Mackintosh, executive director of the Promise Institute, added, “The urgency of racial justice and human rights for all is especially apparent in this moment. The Promise Institute reiterates its commitment to promoting racial justice and equality through research, advocacy, and training the next generation of human rights lawyers and leaders.”