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Hate and Discrimination

PFAW Responds to Virginia Mayor’s Racist ‘Aunt Jemima’ Comments

A screenshot of Barry Presgraves' post saying: "Joe Biden has just announced Aunt Jemima as his VP pick."
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Washington, D.C. — As calls for the resignation of Barry Presgraves, the mayor of Luray, Virginia, increase in response to his racist and sexist comment online that “Joe Biden has just announced Aunt Jemima as his VP pick,” People for the American Way Senior Director of Outreach and Public Engagement Diallo Brooks released the following statement:

“Racist comments from any elected official are despicable. I am no stranger to hate or bigotry and when I heard about Mayor Presgraves’s post, it made me sick. In order to move America forward, we must hold our public officials accountable for comments and actions that fuel hateful racism, sexism, and xenophobia. We join the call asking that Mr. Presgraves tender his resignation as mayor of Luray immediately.”

About People For the American Way

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.

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