Oakland protest after Ferguson grand jury announcement, Nov. 24. Photo: Jaron Browne

Last week the St. Louis County grand jury failed to indict police officer Darren Wilson, the cop who shot and killed 18-year-old, unarmed Michael Brown on a hot summer day and left him in the street for four hours in Ferguson, Missouri

As an organization based in the African-American community, we are outraged to be forced yet again to see justice denied to our people. Here in Oakland and San Francisco, we’ve seen many Black men killed by police violence and people have fought hard to get them justice. Every 28 hours a Black person is killed by law enforcement in this country. As gentrification pushes our people out to places like Antioch, Pittsburg, and Stockton, we know that these are all potential Fergusons in the making.

Our work to organize for housing justice and immigrants rights is not separate from the work to stop police violence and to reclaim democracy. It is work to lift up the rights of our communities, to make sure people have what they need and that they are treated with dignity. More than anything, it is work to build a movement because we know that only a movement will win justice for Mike Brown. And Oscar Grant and Alan Blueford and Alex Nieto and Andy Lopez and the many, many more who have lost their lives. As the protestors from Ferguson published in their open letter, “We march on with purpose. The work continues. This is not a moment but a movement. The movement lives.”

Go out to the protests. Sign the petition. Take action. We will post local actions on our Facebook as events unfold.

And to the grieving parents and to all those who have been affected by police violence, we send our love and prayers. We will continue our fight for racial justice. #Ferguson we are with you. #BlackLivesMatter.