8 minutes and 46 seconds. That’s how quickly the police murdered a 46-year old African American man named George Floyd on May 25th, 2020. The horrifying reality is that we have seen these police killings happen time and time again, and time and time again nothing has been done to stop them. We can’t say this latest tragedy exposes the structural racism in our police and criminal justice system because it hasn’t been hidden, it has been festering in plain sight for way too long.
Racism manifests in every aspect of our society, especially in health. Black Americans are dying from COVID-19 at almost three times the rate of white Americans. This is not due to genetics. The racist economy upon which the US was built has led to and depends on continuing the poverty and chronic health problems in black communities, making them more vulnerable to the virus. The Trump administration’s refusal to acknowledge or respond to the health needs of communities of color is abhorrent, and is intimately related to its tolerance for and encouragement of racist policing.
Hesperian expresses our solidarity with everyone protesting the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police and the systemic acceptance of police brutality. As an organization with the mission to promote health and justice, we are doing our part to help protestors stay as safe as possible. We have posted a Health Protection and Security for Protest Marches fact sheet to help people stay safe from COVID-19 while they are taking to the streets. Produced last week by colleagues in Ecuador, this resource provides information on how to avoid COVID during and after marches and protests. It includes guidance for interacting with police, who have high rates of COVID-19 infection.
When was the last time America was forced to deal with the racism at the core of our national being? Let’s take advantage of this moment to transform our country because #BlackLivesMatter. Together we can care for each other and defend our health and dignity, without fear.
Dakika 8 na sekunde 46 Polisi wa Marekani wamemwua mwanasiasa wa Afrika mwenye umri wa miaka 46 George Floyd mnamo Mei 25, 2020. """Ukweli wa kutisha ni kwamba tumeona mauaji haya ya polisi yakitokea mara kwa mara, na mara kwa mara hakuna kilichotengenezwa ili kuyakomesha." Hatuwezi kusema janga hili la hivi karibuni linafunua ubaguzi wa rangi katika polisi wetu na mfumo wa haki ya jinai kwa sababu haijafichwa, imekuwa ikizidi kwa muda mrefu sana. Ubaguzi wa rangi unaonekana katika kila sehemu ya jamii yetu, hasa katika afya. Wamarekani weusi wanafa kutokana na COVID-19 mara tatu zaidi ya wazungu Hilo si kwa sababu ya chembe za urithi. Uchumi wa ubaguzi wa rangi ambao Marekani ilijengwa juu yake umesababisha na unategemea kuendelea kwa umaskini na matatizo ya afya ya muda mrefu katika jamii za weusi, na kuwafanya kuwa hatarini zaidi kwa virusi. "Kukataa kwa utawala wa Trump kutambua au kukabiliana na mahitaji ya afya ya jamii za rangi ni cha kutisha, na ni karibu na uvumilivu wake na kutia moyo polisi wa ubaguzi wa rangi. """ "Hesperia inatoa umoja wetu na kila mtu anayepinga mauaji ya George Floyd na polisi wa Minneapolis na kukubalika kwa ukatili wa polisi. """ """Kama shirika lenye lengo la kukuza afya na haki, tunafanya sehemu yetu kusaidia waandamanaji kukaa salama iwezekanavyo." "Tumechapisha ""Ulinzi wa Afya na Usalama kwa Maandamano ya Maandamano"" ili kuwasaidia watu kukaa salama kutoka kwa COVID-19 wakati wanapoenda barabarani." Kwa mujibu wa ripoti ya shirika la habari la Global Voices, ripoti hiyo ilitolewa na wafanyakazi wa Ecuador, na ilionyesha jinsi ya kuepuka COVID-19 wakati wa maandamano na baada ya maandamano. Mwongozo huu unahusu jinsi ya kuwasiliana na polisi, ambao wana viwango vya juu vya maambukizi ya COVID-19. Ni lini mara ya mwisho Marekani ililazimika kukabiliana na ubaguzi wa rangi katika kiini cha taifa letu? Hebu tutumie fursa ya wakati huu kubadilisha nchi yetu kwa sababu #BlackLivesMatter. Pamoja tunaweza kutunza kila mmoja na kutetea afya na heshima yetu, bila hofu.