Dear Ujima Community:

By now, many of you have seen the videos of the vicious killing of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five police officers formerly with the Memphis Police Department. We sit in shock and disgust as we once again bear witness to the utter disregard for Black lives. If you have not seen the videos, in the interest of self-care, we urge you to safeguard your heart and spirit. We send our heartfelt condolences to the Nichols family and we pray for RowVaughn Wells, mother of Mr. Nichols, as she knows her son cried out for her and there was no way to save him. Too many Black parents' worst nightmares have come to fruition - our children savagely beaten by those sworn to protect and serve. It doesn't matter how many times Black parents have "the talk" with our children, the 

neighborhood we live in, or whether or not we comply - we are prey to those who choose to use their power to inflict pain, suffering, and often death upon us. 

As a community, it is deeply painful to continue to watch the murder of our children. We hear you when you say, “we are tired, sad, angry, and overwhelmed, but we must organize for change because we can’t afford to lose another Black man, woman, or child.” The national conversation needs to be amplified to demand a change in policing and to stop the systemic genocide of Black people. We cannot and will not permit the destruction of our community. WE have a human right to live free from violence.

We stand with the family of Tyre Nichols, we stand with Memphis, and we stand with our beloved community. Over the next few weeks, Ujima will host a series of conversations about how we can mobilize toward change. We look forward to having you join us.

In Peace,

Ujima Inc.