Standing in global solidarity

Washington, DC, January 12, 2018 — Statement from Joanne Carter, Executive Director of RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund:

At RESULTS, our mission is grounded in our belief in the value, dignity, and rights of all people, everywhere. Our advocacy model is grounded in our belief in the power of the voices of all people, everywhere. The reported remarks from the President last night cut against both.

Our movement is driven by advocates in Latin America and the Caribbean, in Africa, in Asia, and in every corner of the world. In the United States, our volunteer advocates come from all backgrounds and walks of life – some were born in the U.S., others came as children or later in life. This diversity makes us stronger.

We are united by a shared belief in equity, a shared belief in justice, and a shared belief that the end of poverty is not only needed, but possible. As people, we stand together against discrimination and rhetoric based on harmful, racist stereotypes. As advocates, we work across the political spectrum to reject policies that push people to the margins, and we fight for policies grounded in equity and justice.

In our movement and in our world, people who have been discriminated against and marginalized need to come first, not last. In this work, every voice matters, and together we are even greater than the sum of our parts.