George Floyd was one of the many Black people that have endured violence and death at the hands of police, who regularly abuse their power in the name of “law enforcement”. The Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) condemns this anti-Black racism and fully supports those in Canada and around the world who are fighting against it.
Black lives matter, and it is time for society to prove so. Racist power structures and institutions must be dismantled, and health and social inequities must be rectified. Black, Indigenous and other people of colour (BIPOC) experience some of the highest HIV rates in Canada, and the COVID-19 pandemic has also disproportionately affected members of these populations. CAS commits to advocating for policies and practices that will work to reverse these inequities.
It is important to recognize that anti-Black violence by the police is a chronic issue not only in the US, but also in Canada. We remember Regis Korchinski-Paquet, D’Andre Campbell, Machuar Madut, Nicholas Gibbs and other BIPOC killed by police in Canada. We stand with BIPOC and commit to working toward eliminating anti-Black and BIPOC racism and violence on every level of society, listening to those concerned, and helping them raise their voices and be heard.
-The Board of Directors and staff of the Canadian AIDS Society
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