Statement of Values
This summer, the world watched as protests erupted worldwide in solidarity to condemn the brutal, and death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement. George Floyd was one of so many Black Americans who have lost their lives to the callous indifference of systemic racism. The world was witness to the murder of George Floyd.
With a resounding voice, the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls stands with the entire world to declare that heinous human rights violations against unarmed African Americans will no longer be tolerated. We categorically denounce racism in any form, systemic racism, the history of slavery in this country, and unequivocally affirm that Black lives matter.
The California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls strives to be an integral voice in California for those who are negatively affected by many of the same systemic injustices that generate discrimination, marginalization and, all too often, rob Black and Brown communities of their rights to safety, peace, and equity.
We stand at the precipice of a moment in history that is urging us to move beyond a limited understanding of individual bigotry, to a socio-ecological understanding of racism as a violation of basic human rights.
For the sake of the women and girls of California that we exist to support, the Commission acknowledges the monumental task at hand, and we are committed to being leaders. We will continue to be mission-driven and actively advance the causes of racial and gender equity in this state and across the nation. We commit to actively support the advancement of justice at every opportunity, in every room, and at every table.
As we boldly face these challenges while being in the midst of a pandemic that is disproportionately harming Black and Brown families, we will examine our own policies, initiatives and programs, and how they can be amended to provide greater access to equity and opportunity for Black and Brown women and families across the state. We will continue to advocate, at the highest levels, on behalf of the families most marginalized and impacted by the violence of systemic racism because it is up to us all to fundamentally reshape what it means to be an American and to have that tested with equity and respect at every level of life.
The California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls stands with those who are raising their voices to demand that we do better and be better. We are grateful to those who have peacefully taken to our nation’s streets to exercise their right to protest. We know it takes action and accountability to accomplish viable change.
We hope that you will join us as we use this pivotal time to reconnect and recommit ourselves to the necessary and ongoing action that is required to make justice a reality for all.