PORTLAND, MAINE – The Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition (MIRC) Board of Directors and member organizations stand whole and united in our quest to effect change in Maine and our nation plagued by racism. We deplore the prejudices Black Americans regularly face, and, loudly and clearly, affirm that Black Lives Matter.
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of George Floyd, and to the multitude of blacks in Americans who have been unjust victims of police brutality in the United States
As MIRC, we have a responsibility to address this scourge of racism and help create and sustain just systems and policies. Our Black community members and people of color deserve safety in our community and we need to push for a community that is equitable and kind – where people do not have to fear for their lives because of their color of skin. We vehemently oppose and condemn the actions of the police officers in Minneapolis who murdered George Floyd, along with the hundreds who were killed before him.
In response to the violence of white supremacy, MIRC is dedicated to anti-racism as a core value of our advocacy for the rights of all immigrants in Maine. We see our struggles and our work connected to all-Black communities in our state and our liberation is bound together.
On behalf of the MIRC Board of Directors and our member organizations, I would like to tell our Black community members and partners in this work that we care about your safety, wellbeing, and right to exist and live free from racism and injustice.
