Commitment to Anti-racism

Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center (RMvlc), through its staff and Board of Directors, stands with black communities across Colorado and the nation in condemning and mourning the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and so many more.

RMvlc holds a commitment to inclusiveness and diversity as one of our core values, “ We understand that people of all identities are, and may become, victims of violence. We recognize systems of power and privilege are deeply rooted in the legal system. We aim to continually address, and ultimately dismantle, the structures that perpetuate systemic discrimination and oppression as we attempt to balance the system and increase access to justice for all victims of violence.”

Our legal systems are wildly out of balance. There can be no justice for anyone when Black individuals are disproportionately prosecuted and harmed by our criminal legal system, and while Black victims and survivors are grossly underrepresented in the same arena. Racism and oppression are built into the fabric of these systems, and thus, they are working exactly as they were designed. By listening to leadership of those most affected, RMvlc is committed to contributing to the dismantling and redesigning of these systems to ensure access to justice can be achieved by all individuals.

If you are in a position of privilege and power, it is easy to feel frozen and unable to speak out against racism and oppression. Silence, however, fuels the wildfire of oppression and allows it to take many form: the murder of black people by police, the imprisonment of immigrant children and families, and so many more atrocities experienced by marginalized people within our country and beyond.

It is not an option to stay silent. As an organization whose mission includes an edict to elevate victims’ voices, we acknowledge that racism is violence, police brutality is violence, and the ongoing oppression of Black people is violence. We remain steadfastly committed to our vision of ending violence and are dedicated to taking action toward this end.

RMvlc is committed to continuing conversations about race, oppression, and their intersection. We are dedicated to following the lead and listening to those most affected. While these are not easy conversations, we must all continue to have them to change the lived experiences of those impacted by racism and oppression. We have a responsibility to sit with discomfort, identify the issues, rally solutions, and move forward to engage with the next moment of discomfort. We encourage all who support victims and anti-violence movements to engage and renew your commitment to meaningful anti-racism work. Click here for additional resources on anti-racism and how you can engage.