FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: [email protected] or [email protected] 

July 2, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC — On the eve of the nation’s 249th birthday, Race Forward, a national racial equity organization, released the following statement:

“As the nation celebrates the July 4 holiday this year, we are at a defining moment for our multiracial democracy. Will the American experiment of democracy continue, or will the American Revolution’s promise be abandoned, requiring us to reclaim it yet again from authoritarian forces?

“Although the founders sought to escape monarchy, America today is lurching closer towards authoritarianism as we see power being ceded to the Executive Branch of government. Cuts in funding that support the most vulnerable of us to further enrich the wealthy, the detainment and deportation of people without due process, and attempts to terminate birthright citizenship disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and working class communities. These efforts along with the criminal investigation and prosecution of lawmakers and judges as they attempt to carry out their jobs in a fair and equitable manner are all indications of an undermining of the norms of democracy.

“It has never been clearer that American democracy is at risk. Yet it has also never been clearer that the resilience of our communities—and the resurgence of movements demanding justice—are our greatest hope. 

“If we want our children to know true freedom, where everyone is able to flourish, we must remember that freedom requires sacrifice. Our ancestors sacrificed so we could enjoy the freedoms we do today. We must not only resist the rollback of these freedoms, but we must continue to stand strong in solidarity and our commitment to governance to build a true multiracial democracy that honors the dignity of all humanity. We can never surrender our vision for an America in which all are free.”

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