Richmond, VA -  New Virginia Majority issued the following statement on Mass Shootings Across the Country: We mourn with the families and communities of those murdered in El Paso, Dayton, Chicago, and in communities affected by daily gun violence across the country.

The problem with these violent acts isn’t only about guns. As a country, we are in the midst of mass killings of immigrants, brown and black people, poor people, LGBTQ people, women, and other vulnerable groups, exacerbated by a white supremacist President who routinely incites violence and hatred against our communities. This violence is part of a long and uninterrupted pattern of nativism, white supremacy, and patriarchy in the U.S., and right here in Virginia.

It is impossible to separate hateful rhetoric from the mass shootings it inspires and the murderous policies it fuels -- policies that criminalize immigrants, people of color, and all vulnerable people, that make and keep people sick, incarcerated, homeless, or isolated.

In the midst of this toxic culture, perpetuated from the highest levels of our government, it is our responsibility to fight bigoted rhetoric, culture, policies, and practices wherever and whenever we come across them.

Our communities remain resilient and beautiful even as we grieve. And we will continue doing what we have always done — using this grief to fuel action to support and love one another, rebuild our communities, and dismantle systems that don’t prioritize the safety, health, and protection of our communities.

###

New Virginia Majority builds power in working-class communities of color, in immigrant communities, among LGBTQ people, women, youth, and progressives across the Commonwealth. We organize for racial and economic justice through large-scale political education, mobilization, and advocacy around dozens of issues. We fight for a Virginia that is just, democratic, and environmentally sustainable.