When we say 'Black Lives Matter,' we're not saying that any other life doesn't matter. That has never, ever been our message. Our message has always been from a place of love. Opal Tometi More Quotes by Opal Tometi More Quotes From Opal Tometi Civility is the recognition that all people have dignity that's inherent to their person, no matter their religion, race, gender, sexuality, or ability. Opal Tometi gender matter people religion Our communities are reeling from poverty, from unemployment, from discrimination of all sorts and different interactions that they're having with the law enforcement, and education system, and so on. Opal Tometi discrimination poverty law education Due to broken windows policing, the following interactions can lead to tickets, arrests and summonses, warrants if tickets go unpaid and, in some cases, violence: jaywalking, sleeping on a park bench, spitting, putting your feet up on the subway, and more. Opal Tometi go violence broken feet If people take the fight for justice seriously in their own country and with partners and immigrants in their community and folks in the international community, I believe that we will see human rights for all people affirmed. Opal Tometi fight community justice people Implicit bias - our subconscious associations of race - permeates everything that we do. And we must pursue systemic accountability to fix it. Opal Tometi everything bias accountability race The U.S. has long characterized Haitian immigrants as criminals. This tradition began in 1963 when the first boat of Haitians seeking political asylum was summarily rejected by U.S. immigration officials, while at the same time the U.S. admitted thousands of Cubans as refugees and political asylees. Opal Tometi tradition political time long Many thought that the abolition of slavery, the end of Jim Crow, and the legislative progress of the Civil Rights Era, among other watershed moments, would have fundamentally done away with the racist structures that have long oppressed black people. However, we know that has been far from the case. Opal Tometi progress black long people The valuation of profit over people impedes human rights across much of the world. Opal Tometi human human-rights people world Only when the oppressed are heard can we have an honest solutions based dialogue. Opal Tometi only dialogue honest oppressed President Trump is mentally incapable of imagining the humanity of anyone who looks different from him or hails from a different nation. Opal Tometi nation different humanity looks From my youngest brother to immigrant women to black queer folks, those are the people who keep me going. When I think about their various acts of courage, it reminds me that I am not alone and that we can do even more, and we deserve more, so we have to keep going. Opal Tometi alone me women courage Knowing that there is a community of people on every corner of this planet that believes in justice, that is willing to sacrifice, and that is willing to take a stand is the most heartening thing. Opal Tometi sacrifice community justice people To me and to a number of other activists from the U.S., we believe that the human rights movement has to evolve and understand the global implications of structural racism. This means engaging the United Nations and a variety of other human rights bodies. Opal Tometi understand me racism believe Black people, we are fully deserving of the room and space to fully express our humanity. This is what Black Lives Matter is truly about. Opal Tometi black space humanity people In my own personal experience, I've had different family members who have been held in immigration detention because they've had some sort of challenge financially, and they were making difficult decisions, and that led to their immigration detention and, eventually, deportation. Opal Tometi challenge my-own experience family Antiblack racism is not only happening in the United States. It's actually happening all across the globe. Opal Tometi happening only united-states racism We deserve to live in a world where there's no impunity, but beyond this question of impunity, there are all these structures that are actually doing a disservice to our people. Opal Tometi live doing people world We must create a committee to address the long-standing discrimination against black people in America. Opal Tometi discrimination black america people I have two younger brothers, and I know my parents have spoken to them about driving and interacting with police. They didn't have those conversations with me, but they did have conversations about being exceptional black people. Opal Tometi parents me black people The U.S.' refusal to acknowledge the plight of displaced Haitians and maintaining inhumane practices of neglect, disrespect, and violence amounts to a gross violation of human rights. Opal Tometi human-rights disrespect violence
