Shift in State’s Priorities Needed to Fight Against Racism in Any Form and in Any Institution
As people respond to the murder of George Floyd with protests, marches and vigils across the state, the ACLU of Wyoming supports the protestors’ cause and is calling for meaningful change for people who have been subjected to systemic or individual racism at the hands of the police.
The frustration and anger seen pouring out in the streets is the result of past promises for reform unfulfilled coupled with the tragic ever-growing list of names of people of color who have been killed by police, the ACLU of Wyoming said.
“Invariably, people of color in Wyoming face systemic barriers to education, health care, employment and justice,” said Antonio Serrano, advocacy manager for the ACLU of Wyoming. “In order to move from a place of outrage to a place of healing, there must be a fundamental shift in our state’s priorities and it needs to start with law enforcement and elected officials acknowledging the lives lost and people hurt by police in Wyoming. Pretending our state does not have these problems is turning a blind eye to an entire community and their pain. It is up to us as a community to stand together and do everything we can to fight against racism in any form and in any institution.”
The ACLU of Wyoming is ready to work with lawmakers and stakeholders across the state to create policies that can begin to break down the unchecked systemic racism that’s brought us to this point.
About the ACLU of Wyoming
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Wyoming is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and South Dakota. The team in Wyoming is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBTQ communities. The ACLU of Wyoming carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of Wyoming.
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