The Murder of Tyre Nichols

The murder of Tyre Nichols has been a devastating loss for his family, friends, and community. It is a painful reminder, and just the latest among so many, that police in communities across this country routinely use violence that perpetuates the racism and discrimination that are hallmarks of widespread and systemic white supremacy.

Tyre Nichols was just 29 years old, a father with a four-year-old son. He suffered from Crohn's disease, and was a talented photographer and deep thinker about the spaces we live in, and he shared his artistry with the world.

Racism is a public health crisis. The issues we address at WPSR: a military-industrial complex run amok, a climate in crisis driven by fossil fuels, and vast economic inequity are all shaped by white supremacy and settler colonialism. We can and must respond to these issues and their resulting health outcomes by addressing the racism that permeates our systems and harms people every single day. These threats to health affect all of us, but each of these threats have come to exist at the expense of Black people and communities of color. It is critical to recognize how they have borne, and continue to disproportionately bear, the burdens of state-sponsored violence, and the grave threats to health, safety, and survival that they did not create. 

It bears repeating: racism is a public health crisis, and the American Public Health Association, the American Medical Association, the Lancet, Seattle and King County Public Health, and legions of other health organizations have declared it to be so. WPSR is committed to passing policies that will end this injustice. 

This includes our work every day to address health inequities in WA, as well as climate and nuclear injustice. Right now, it also means supporting HB 1513, a bill currently before the WA legislature that prevents traffic stops for low-risk issues (e.g., broken taillights, equipment violations, or expired tabs) that do not affect traffic safety, and requires documentation as to why a person is being stopped. HB 1513 is grounded in data, and by freeing police to focus enforcement on unsafe driving behavior (e.g., impaired driving or speeding), it will both save lives and reduce harmful racial disparities. With this bill we - and you - have the chance to make a difference in WA state. We urge you to contact your legislator in support of this bill, and its companion Senate bill SB 5572.