WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, The Collective, the nation’s largest group of affiliated organizations dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government, responded to the conviction of Derek Chauvin on charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd. Co-founders of The Collective, Quentin James and Stefanie Brown James, released the following statement:

“Today, justice prevailed. After reliving the trauma of George Floyd’s murder over the past three weeks, we’re relieved to see that the jury made the right decision and hope the judge moves swiftly to deliver a fair sentence and punishment that fits the gravity of these charges. While it’s difficult to call today’s verdict a victory given the tragic circumstances, we hope it can serve as a turning point in the push to finally hold police officers accountable for abusing their oath to protect and serve our communities and confront the police violence that has senselessly taken countless Black lives for generations.

George Floyd’s life mattered, long before he was brutally killed by Derek Chauvin and long before he became a symbol of the inequities and injustices that too often have allowed police officers to get away with dehumanizing and murdering Black men and women. As we work to collectively heal, we must honor George Floyd and the untold victims of police brutality with action by calling on our elected officials to do everything they can to reform the broken criminal justice and policing systems in this country. The Collective urges the United States Senate to immediately pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a critical first step in the fight to combat police brutality and address racial bias in policing by barring no-knock warrants, ending qualified immunity, banning the use of chokeholds and more. There can be no justice without accountability and we will continue fighting for a system that is truly fair, equitable and protects all Americans from abuse, racism and injustice.”

ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE 

The Collective is a group of affiliated organizations working to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government. Through our affiliated organizations — The Collective PAC, The Collective Super PAC, Collective Future, The Collective Education Fund, and The Southern Strategy — we are strategically focused on creating a truly equitable democracy where our nation’s local, state and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership and Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The Collective PAC, the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government, announced a $50,000 campaign donation in support of Fort Worth, TX mayoral candidate Deborah Peoples. The Collective PAC Founder and President Quentin James released the following statement:

“Deborah Peoples is a trusted leader with a proven record of delivering for the people of Fort Worth. Electing her remains a top priority and The Collective PAC is committed to doing everything in its power to ensure that she becomes the first Black woman mayor of Fort Worth, TX. As COVID-19 continues to ravage our communities, her leadership will be instrumental in addressing the longstanding economic, health care and racial disparities that have only been magnified over the past year. We hope that our donation in the final weeks of the campaign will play a critical role in turning out voters and amplifying her message, and we look forward to helping Deborah make history on May 1st.”

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Deborah Peoples has thirty years of experience working in both the public and private sectors. In addition to leading critical voter registration and civic engagement efforts during the 2020 election cycle as Chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party, Deborah has also worked for the City of Fort Worth and spent time as an executive at AT&T. As mayor, she will prioritize combating disparities in education, health care, and economic opportunity by ensuring equitable distribution of city services. If elected, Deborah is poised to be the first Black woman to serve as Mayor of Fort Worth, TX.

ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE PAC

The Collective PAC is working to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government. The Collective PAC is strategically focused on creating a truly equitable democracy where our nation’s local, state and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership and Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward.

The Collective Super PAC released a digital ad this morning in support of Kristen Clarke, narrated by actress, writer and producer, Rashida Jones.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Quentin James and Stefanie Brown James, co-founders of The Collective, the nation’s largest group of affiliated organizations dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government, released the following statement in support of Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights nominee, Kristen Clarke — the first woman and first Black woman to serve in this position if confirmed:

“The Collective unequivocally stands with Kristen Clarke, President Biden’s nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice. One of the country’s preeminent civil rights attorneys, Kristen will bring a wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of the country’s legal system and civil rights laws to this critical role; serving with the honor, dedication, and decency in a career dedication to public service.

Rather than assessing nominees based on their merits and qualifications, a disturbing double standard has emerged for several women of color who have faced immediate, forceful and racist opposition, and had their confirmations challenged. It is no coincidence that a Black woman, who’s spent her career fighting to protect civil rights, stand up to white supremacy and expand voters’ access to the ballot box, has become the target of a far-right smear campaign rooted in lies and distortions.

With hate crimes, employment discrimination and voter suppression tactics on the rise, Americans would greatly benefit from Kristen’s voice, experience, and leadership at the U.S. Justice Department. She will work to vigorously defend the civil rights of historically underrepresented communities and the constitutional rights of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Collective stands in support of Kristen Clarke and urges the U.S. Senate to confirm her historic nomination.”

This morning The Collective Super PAC, an affiliated organization of The Collective, released a digital ad in support of Kristen Clarke. Click here to view the ad.

ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE 

The Collective is a group of affiliated organizations working to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government. Through our affiliated organizations — The Collective PAC, The Collective Super PAC, The Southern Strategy, Collective Future and The Collective Education Fund — we are strategically focused on creating a truly equitable democracy where our nation’s local, state and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership and Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward.