In the face of divisive and racist messages meant to foment anger and hatred, we stand strong as a community. Attempts like these to undermine our unity are doomed to fail because they overlook something crucial: We are Americans, and we are stronger together. This type of hatred only serves to remind us of how much we need each other in times of joy and sorrow.
Let’s remember what we believe to be real. In America, we expect and demand fairness, justice, and respect—values at the very heart of our nation. We hold each other accountable to the standards of liberty and justice, not just in words but in actions, as we continue to work for a nation where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Those who wish to spread division misunderstand the power of this truth. They cannot twist this arc, because it is held steady by the strength of countless people committed to progress, equality, and love.
To those who try to bring hate into our homes, our workplaces, and our communities, know this: Your attempts to sow division are wasted, because we are resilient. We see through the noise. America is a country of courage and unity, built on the dreams of generations and shaped by the strength of everyday people who know what it means to keep going. So let them try—every hateful word only fuels our fire to move forward, to stand together, and to build an America that continues to live up to the promises of freedom, justice, and equality for all.
ADVISORY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
The Department of Justice, including the New Mexico Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, remains committed to working together with community to combat unlawful acts of hate. If you have received a racist text message telling you to report to a plantation to work as a slave or “pick cotton,” please report the text to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or at tips.FBI.gov.
Respectfully,
The Undersigned
New Mexico Black Leadership Council
Randy Royster, Albuquerque Community Foundation
Nichole Rogers, Albuquerque City Council District 6
Andrew Connors, Albuquerque Museum
Dr. Harold Bailey, Albuquerque NAACP
Barbara Korbal, Archives Q
Yolanda Torres Martinez, Burque Autonomous Brown Berets of New Mexico
Janelle Groover, Brunson Properties LLC
Bishop J. L’Keith Jones, Church Of God In Christ, New Mexico Jurisdiction
Ron Shinault, Sr., Community Mentor Network
Clifton Chadwick, Comunicaciones Kokopele
Noel Nunez, Deming Cesar Chavez Charter HS
Marisol Enriquez, Democratic Party of Bernalillo County
Mia Noren, First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque
Anami Dass, Harm Reductionist Media, Inc
Bradford Mekhi, Justice Code NSBE Jr.
Shira Greenberg, Keshet Dance Company & Center for the Arts
Felicia Orth, League of Women Voters of Los Alamos
Starlyn Brown, League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico
Debra Helper, League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County
Hannah Burling, League of Women Voters of New Mexico
Farzana Marie, Mug Cover and More LLC
Armando Romero, Nahalat Shalom
Sachi Watase, New Mexico Asian Family Center
Hope Pendleton, New Mexico Black Lawyers Association
Jesse Woosley, New Mexico School for the Deaf
Nichelle Gilbert, Partnership for Community Action
Shannon McKenna, Party for Socialism and Liberation
Joe Cardillo, Progress Now NM
Emilie De Angelis, Serafina Company
Jamel Ellison, Quality Continuum Healthcare Solutions
Anita Cordova, Transformative Strategies
Private Citizens
Tammy AliCarr
Houston Chaffin, III
Rabbi Arthur Flicker
Terry Locke
Ann Nihlen