The senseless murders of black people who posed no threat have created the effect of rioting across the country.

Virginia Union University offers condolences to the families who find themselves at the epicenter of this movement to call out the injustices to people of color throughout America. It has been 30 years since we first saw a recording of Rodney King violently beaten by law enforcement in California. The words “I Can’t Breathe” are painful as we watched George Floyd’s pleas for help and remember the same pleas from Eric Garner and so many others who lost their lives due to excessive force by law enforcement.

To see portions of our beloved city of Richmond burn in protest was jarring. As protests intensify across the country, our top priority is the safety of our students, many of whom live locally. They are our nation’s future. This moment in time, and how we address it, will define us for generations to come.

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” Sadly, 53 years later, we still are not listening. Across the country, exhaustion has turned to rage in communities of color. While we strongly condemn any violence that compromises the safety and well-being of our communities, we also acknowledge the despair in our communities that has gotten us to this point. Activists and other concerned citizens continued to speak out against police brutality and demand a more equitable and fair society to no avail, but many people are tired of talk.

At Virginia Union University, education is our social justice. Through education we build up the strength and the belief in each student’s limitless possibility despite society’s expectations. We are stronger together, as a community and as a nation.

We believe the path forward demands sweeping reform to the systems that consistently oppress communities of color, and we are calling on all of our leaders to learn from this moment and listen to the voices of the unheard.

“Liberty and justice for all” must be the promise of every American. And it is our duty to fulfill it.

DR. HAKIM J. LUCAS

President and chief executive officer

Virginia Union University

The past few weeks have only rubbed raw the visceral, exhausting pain of long-standing and overarching injustice.

I know firsthand the dissonance of a lived experience that does not reflect the inalienable rights every American is entitled to — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

From our country’s inception, our history has been stained with blood and trauma endured by African-Americans. Four hundred years later, the nationwide unrest (last) weekend demands that we refuse to sweep it under the rug any longer.

African-Americans live every day in a country that has never fully allowed us to join its lofty ideals and principles. That struggle is real and it is unacceptable.

Our nation must rise to meet this moment together — first with an ear to listen to the pain of those who refuse to lower their expectations to an incomplete American ideal, followed by swift action to protect black lives from violence, whether at the hands of renegade police officers or renegade vigilantes.

REP. A. DONALD McEACHIN

Henrico

The writer represents Virginia’s 4th Congressional District that stretches from Richmond and Petersburg to Hampton Roads and includes portions of Henrico and Chesterfield counties.

We bear witness to the profound outrage, horror and trauma fol- lowing the inhumane murder of George Floyd by members of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25. We recognize that his murder stems from centuries of racial violence against innocent, unarmed black men, women and children in this country to uphold systems of white supremacy.

We recognize that the violence of white supremacy stretches back to the founding of this country here in Virginia. We recognize that the violence of white supremacy began with the genocide of Indigenous Nations inhabiting this land.

We recognize that the violence of white supremacy became institutionalized with the enslavement and exploitation of Africans and people of African descent. We further recognize that the violence of white supremacy continues to be perpetu- ated in policies and practices that inflict undue suffering and harm on communities of color.

We believe this is a defining moment when we, as people of faith and goodwill, cannot stand by in silence. We must stand up and speak out.

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy condemns racial violence and racism in all forms.

We pray for all individuals, families and communities en- during pain, sorrow, rage and shock due to the impact of racial violence.

We add our Virginia voices to the national call for the criminal prosecution in the case of George Floyd’s death as the first step to paving the road to justice in Minneapolis. We recognize a responsibility to speak out as we hail from the land that, beginning in 1619, kidnapped Africans and forcefully brought them here.

We believe that faith leaders have a unique responsibility and a sacred mandate to lift up the dignity and value of all human beings.

We recognize that all faiths believe in justice and, therefore, we call on people of all faiths and goodwill to join us in our work of advocating for systemic changes that would dismantle institutionalized racism.

This tragedy makes it even more urgent for us to draw closer together as partners across all religions, races and ethnici- ties to fight for justice and equality.

DORA MUHAMMAD

Congregation engagement director

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

The writer asks that people interested in signing VICPP’s declaration of commitment to achieving racial justice and equity in Virginia go to www.tinyurl.com/racismstatement. VICPP is a nonpartisan coalition of more than 700 faith communities work- ing for a more just society.

Feelings about the recent protests related to George Floyd’s death and the looting miss the point. Feelings don’t change the systems and structures that oppress and murder black and brown people. Only actions do.

To comment about the actions of others while doing nothing in your own life to actively dismantle systems of oppression is to be a part of the problem.

Believing your feelings are weighty enough to matter all on their own is part of privilege — a privilege black and brown people in this country don’t enjoy. If our feelings were enough, if our anger and sadness and fear were enough, we wouldn’t continue to get murdered while we sleep, play, eat, shop, drive, exercise, work, travel and just live.

Take action and support change. Educate yourself if you don’t know how. Be an ally if you are white. Take all those feelings and use your power and your platform. Stand between peaceful protesters and police to protect black and brown bodies from batons, tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray. Raise your children to understand they have to work to dismantle racist systems.

When you hear other people sharing their feelings, speak up. Remind them that the number of people peacefully pro- testing is far and above the small number of people acting out in other ways — and that some of those people are white and deliberately trying to undercut the power of the peaceful protests.

Focusing on your feelings is an out. Don’t take the out. Take action. Work to undo the societal injustices black and brown folks live with every day.

Otherwise, please sit down and be quiet so the rest of us can focus on the work of saving our lives.

MICHERA BROOKS

New York

The League of Women Voters of Virginia stands with millions of Americans in grieving the senseless murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed and countless other black lives at the hands of law enforcement officers.

These past few weeks have served as a stark reminder of this country’s pervasive systems of oppression and inequality.

It’s also worth noting that these protests come in the midst of a pandemic that is affecting African-American communities at a drastically disproportionate rate.

However, it is not enough to simply grieve and mourn. We must all work to remove racist policies and continue to educate ourselves.

We will continue to work to amplify black voices and empower voters. We also recognize that besides advocacy and protesting, voting is a powerful tool that we must exercise. It is our civic duty to vote.

Check Vote411 to make sure your voter registration is up to date so you can vote. It is your voice.

DEB WAKE

President, League of Women Voters of Virginia