We at the Princeton Gerrymandering Project are appalled and saddened by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery, as well as the countless others who have been killed by the police. The only appropriate action is to demand change from the institution of policing, one that has contributed to systemic and pervasive racism throughout our history. As long as some members of our communities cannot live in equal safety, we must continue to fight for a more just and inclusive society.

Since its inception, the Princeton Gerrymandering Project has sought to bring our expertise to the pursuit of rectifying political injustice. To state the problem simply: the current political structure of American democracy means that officials are not responsive to citizens. This democratic deficit is woven into the history and structure of our country. Racial gerrymandering is a cornerstone of unfair districting and is just one example of the systemic problems facing minority communities in the United States.

That is why, in moments like these, it is not enough to be silently non-racist. Persons and organizations of good will must actively be anti-racist and speak up against injustice. We encourage all allies of ours, and all friends of reform, to donate effort and resources to organizations which fight against this grave societal wrong.