Statement On Racial Injustice
The Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Federal Bar Association expresses profound indignation and sorrow regarding the horrific shooting of Jacob Blake and the deaths of George Floyd, Rashard Brooks, Breonna Taylor, and so many other black citizens in this country who have lost their lives needlessly and unjustifiably at the hands of law enforcement or at the hands of racially-motivated violence, like Ahmaud Arbery. This violence must stop.
As members of the bar, we serve as guardians of justice and the rule of law, and we have a responsibility to demand and work to ensure fairness to all, no matter the color of a person’s skin. We recognize that far too often people of color are not treated with the same dignity and respect as other members of our communities.
As lawyers, advocates, and officers of the court, we must do more to effect change. We took an oath and with it comes professional responsibility to stand up and fight for racial and social justice. We must stand together against systemic racism and discrimination for meaningful change to occur.
This organization will never accept inequity in any form. We will never accept institutionalized exclusion and oppression of people of color or of any other group. We condemn actions that dehumanize and devalue people of color.
We call on elected officials, business leaders, the judiciary—all those with influence—to work with us to eradicate all vestiges of bias that have led to inequity in our communities and workplaces.
We implore our members to stand with us in acknowledging the deep, troubling, and systemic inequities in this country, and to speak out against injustice and make our voices heard.
There is much to do to achieve racial justice and equality in this country. Our way is lit by the hope that change is possible with all of us working together to achieve it. We thank our FBA-NOVA family for walking this path to racial justice with us and standing together to work for a better tomorrow.
* Our Board includes members of the judiciary and the government who, based on their positions, are unable to join in this statement.