Statement by UDW Executive Director Doug Moore in response to the deaths of police officers in Dallas, Texas on Thursday night:

Last night following a peaceful #BlackLivesMatter protest in downtown Dallas, a gunman opened fire, killing five police officers and injuring seven others. This tragedy follows the murders of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, black men killed by police officers earlier this week.

Today we mourn the officers killed in the line of duty, just as we continue to mourn the deaths of our black and brown brothers and sisters at the hands of law enforcement. We pray for the families and loved ones of the slain, and we vow to turn our sadness and rage into collective action.

As with the Orlando massacre, those with hate in their hearts want these tragedies to divide us. But that’s not how solidarity works.

In the coming weeks and months, I look forward to working with my union brothers and sisters, community activists, and anyone who wants an end to these senseless deaths. Solidarity means we all have a part to play – whether we’re championing legislation to end gun violence and police brutality, mobilizing our communities to vote, organizing people on the ground, or offering much-needed kindness and compassion to one another. No single person can solve this alone. We must make change together.

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United Domestic Workers of America (UDW)/AFSCME Local 3930 is a home care union made up of nearly 94,000 in-home caregivers across the state of California. UDW caregivers provide care through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), which allows hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities to stay safe and healthy at home.