“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

For the 21 lives in the massacre at Robb Elementary school in May.

For the ten lives stolen in the Buffalo supermarket massacre, also in May.

For the 53 lives taken after being trapped in a sweltering tractor-trailer found near Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio in late June.

For the five lives killed inside a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs in November. 

All in 2022. 

There is a problem rooted so deep in the establishment of our nation that many people live as if their own skin color, beliefs, or sexuality is superior. The prejudice in human behavior has created divisions resulting in global repercussions and hostility. Poisoning our society, being woven into our institutions and systems, but the people? 

They fight back. 

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Martin Luther King

Brady United 

Brady United is an American nonprofit organization that advocates for gun control and against gun violence. In 2022, after the Uvalde massacre they were able to accomplish ending a 30-year hiatus on federal gun safety legislation.  Lying out 2,280 school books and broken pencils before the U.S. capitol to represent the 2,280 children who were killed by gun violence since the senate refused to pass universal background checks. 

“…the Bipartisan Safer Community Act will save lives, investing millions in community violence intervention, funding the implementation of state-based extreme risk laws, and mandating enhanced background checks for individuals under the age of 21.” Brady United writes. 

Brady United is rapidly growing, gaining more reach, and more accomplishments through their journey of demanding gun safety legislation. 

Immigrant Families Together 

Immigrant Families Together is an501(c)3 organization dedicated to reuniting and supporting immigrant families separated at the US/Mexico border. This year, they paid 128 bonds, totaling $1,205,000, providing support and resources to families they have reunited. In addition, they have created a Detention Support which expands work in detention prisons for the support of families who lose a loved one in detention, and to support those in immigration detention.

Immigrant Families Together stands for putting an end to adding names to the devastating list of deaths in ICE custody. 

The Equality Act 

President Joe Biden on May 31, 2022 published, “A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, And Intersex Pride Month, 2022.” In this proclamation, he mentions the discrimination people of the LQBTQI+ community face, constantly having their rights undermined.  

“That is why I continue to call on the Congress to pass the Equality Act, which will enshrine long overdue civil rights protections and build a better future for all LGBTQI+ Americans.” President Biden writes. “We must also fight for LGBTQI+ seniors so that they can age with dignity.  And we must confront the disproportionate levels of poverty, homelessness, and unemployment in the LGBTQI+ community.”

As of right now, the act has 224 co-sponsors. 

The people of America are fighting back against the suffocating systems endlessly attempting to hold them back.  

Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 through his “I Have a Dream” speech called to the moral conscience of America that we can be better than we are. 

Here is America doing just that. Being better than they were. 

2023 will be a groundbreaking year for Justice movements.