Greetings,
First, I would like to pay respects to the family of Ahmaud Arbery, and to express solidarity in the torrent of emotions drawn out from his murder. It is no secret that people of color have historically dealt with violence and oppression at every level of society. From the perspective of a Latinx interest fraternity we see this in the form of colorism throughout Latin America. In the United States, the black community as a whole is often targeted by the systems that perpetuate and uphold white supremacy and white privilege, and it is in this instance that we yet again see violence against Black bodies play out, and in broad daylight to boot.
I stand with our members and those in our communities who are mourning yet another senseless death of a young black man. I offer support to those who need a space to work through the amalgam of intense feelings once again brought to the surface. Perhaps most importantly, I will not remain silent, for as Elie Wiesel said, “… silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
In Solidarity,
Michael A. Lopez, MSW
National President
Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc.