Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York: We Must Hold Government Leaders Accountable for Systemic Racism

Released May 29, 2020

CCC condemns racism in all forms. For more than seven decades we have championed the rights of all children to be healthy, housed, educated and safe. We analyze data to illustrate persistent inequities that must be tackled to promote the well-being of all children and families. Too often, the data point to the impact of systemic racism on child and family outcomes.

Black lives matter. And, Black children and families matter.

We are saddened and angered by the repeated unnecessary loss of life and troubled by the most recent tragedies gaining national attention including the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, the murder of George Floyd, the police brutality protesters are facing in Minneapolis, the racism experienced by Christian Cooper in Central Park and the hyper-policing of social distancing in minority communities. We demand justice for these individuals, their families and communities, and for the countless more who go unnamed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the racism and racial inequity Black and Brown New Yorkers face have become more evident across countless systems and institutions. We’ve seen how Black, Latino and immigrant New Yorkers and their communities struggle with higher rates of illness and mortality due to COVID-19, and how many precursors such as poverty, overcrowded housing, poor health, and inequitable education have led to a disproportionate impact in minority communities.

The path forward requires us to call out racism in all forms and to urgently advance basic human rights, holding legally responsible all who violate them. We must continue to combat racism and inequity in systems and institutions addressing housing, health, education and safety, and hold government leaders accountable to ensure that federal, state and local resources are marshalled to accomplish this goal.

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About Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York 
Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York educates and mobilizes New Yorkers to make the city a better place for children. Since 1944, our advocacy has combined public policy research and data analysis with citizen action. We cast light on the issues, educate the public, engage allies, and identify and promote practical solutions to ensure that every New York City child is healthy, housed, educated and safe. For more information on CCC, visit our web site at www.cccnewyork.org.