Hollywood actress Kerry Washington is one of many leaders who have launched the new Black Voices for Black Justice Fund.
According to the website, the fund was created to “The Fund was established to amplify clarion voices about racial justice; connect new and established Black leaders to one another; and support Black-led efforts to build meaningful economic and political power for their communities in the context of police brutality and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic along racial lines – including disparities in access to healthcare, jobs, education, justice, and the right to vote.”
“The Black Voices for Black Justice Fund recognizes incredible leaders who have been on the frontlines working to dismantle the deep-rooted, racist systems that have plagued our country for centuries,” Washington said in a statement. “Amplifying their voices and providing resources to these inspiring advocates is critical as we strive towards equity and racial justice in this country.”
“After the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, we felt like we had to do something and something big,” Robin Hood CEO and fund co-chair Wes Moore, told Forbes. “There seems to be more understanding in this moment about racial injustice, particularly among white Americans, and we want to see that increased interest work for real change.”
During an interview with Town & Country earlier this year, Washington spoke about the importance of empathy when it comes to the fight for justice.
“I do think that. I think it’s cyclical. We move the needle with laws and then we are able to move more laws with emotion, with empathy. We rely on each other, because we have to shift behavior and shift hearts,” she explained.
