From Change.org - Three families

In the last few days, more than 1 million people like you have made an incredible impact on the lives of at least three families who have lost loved ones to race-based violence. Your outrage, your action, and your demands have made front-page news, leading to arrests and pushing the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to step in and step up. Because of you, the wheels of justice are in motion.

Ahmaud Arbery was gunned down while jogging in February of this year. By May, no arrests had been made, despite the killers being known to and interviewed by police. Local district attorneys initially declined to pursue charges. That’s where people like you came in. The road to conviction is just beginning. Click here to automatically add your voice to a petition that will keep Ahmaud’s name in the news. Almost 1 million supporters have signed on. Now is not the time to take your foot off the gas pedal. Now is the time to keep the pressure up. Alongside that petition, over 50,000 supporters successfully pushed for the arrest of the father and son who killed Ahmaud. They were in police custody and charged with murder within days of the petition launch. You ran with Ahmaud in your neighborhoods, you changed your profile picture to show your support and raise awareness. You did this.

As news of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder spread, so did the story of Breonna Taylor. Breonna was an EMT and essential worker doing her part to help hospitals get through the pandemic. She was killed in a drug raid on her home. Not only did the police have the wrong house, but they already had the suspect they needed in custody.  Because of you, Breonna’s story is being told. Your fight for justice for Breonna and her family has amassed over 130,000 signatures on a petition started by Loralei HoJay. Your outrage has raised awareness that has kept Breonna’s story top of mind. What happens now? That’s up to you. Click to automatically sign Loralei’s petition to get justice for Breonna.

And just one week ago, Wayne Hubbard started a petition to get justice for yet another Black life lost. Sean Reed streamed his encounter with police, not knowing it would end in his death. According to outlets like The New York Times, the police officers involved in Sean’s killing joked about the state of his body.  You have said that enough is enough. Wayne lives in Indiana, the state where Sean was killed. He has gathered his community, along with over 70,000 supporters, to make sure those responsible for Sean’s death will be held accountable.  But the outrage and action don’t stop there. Thousands of you continue to come to Change.org to support petitions that fight the systemic inequality that lead to deaths like these.  So many of you have been inspired by these petitions to sign others and start your own. This petition to make lynching a federal hate crime made headlines with a major milestone: The Senate passed the bill unanimously. Now the bill sits with the House of Representatives. Over 100,000 supporters want to make systemic changes that protect Black and brown lives and hold violent actors accountable.  The men of the historically Black fraternity Omega Psi Phi started a petition for a hate crime bill in Georgia, where Ahmaud Arbery was killed. Thousands believe that these deaths will only be stopped when justice systems take hate crimes seriously. Georgia is one of four states left in the country not to have a hate crime bill. With your help, that can change. The Georgia NAACP is pushing for D.A. Jackie Johnson to resign for failing to arrest Ahmaud Arbery’s assailants, and petition starter Destiny Hunter wants prosecutor George Barnhill disbarred for his refusal to take action in the case. Where authorities fail, you come together to make it right. Because of you, they can’t look away.  Change starts with you. Thank you for raising your voices in the name of Ahmaud, Breonna, Sean and the many many others who need justice. Thank you for fighting to make sure this never happens again. Thank you for taking action.