Over the last 48 hours, we have once again seen the familiar faces of hate and bigotry. We have seen white supremacists – wrapped in armbands emblazoned with the Swastika, holding torches, and carrying the flags of the Confederacy – march through Charlottesville, one of our great American cities.

And we have felt a familiar frustration as those in our nation’s highest office have chosen not to acknowledge the pain that these hateful symbols bring, but rather have chosen to blame individuals “on many sides.”

Our hearts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives in Charlottesville.

We have received thousands of calls and emails from citizens around the country asking: “what can I do?“

I say, we must stand strong, arm-in-arm with our neighbors, to speak out in one unified voice. We must use our time, our talents and our resources to assist, and to caution against the repeated rhetoric that has helped to fuel this climate of division and derision.

This has to change. You can help. Stand with us.

In solidarity,
Derrick

NAACP
Interim President and CEO