Story highlights The Rev. Sharon Risher: Protests in Charlottesville correlate to the gun violence at Emanuel AME church in Charleston

Until we end systemic racism, blacks will continue to bear the devastating effects of gun violence in America, writes Risher

The Rev. Sharon Risher was formerly a Trauma Chaplain at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. She is a member of the Everytown Survivor Network, which brings together Americans who have been personally affected by gun violence. The views expressed in this commentary are her own.

(CNN) I'm a proud daughter of the American South, and my heritage has shaped me into the woman of faith I am today. But like many African-Americans from the South, I am no stranger to the hate and intolerance that has defined a large part of our history.

Two years ago, my mother and two cousins were among the nine black parishioners who were shot and killed by a hate-fueled man at the Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina. Growing up, we witnessed and heard of so many racially motivated hate crimes in communities like ours, including the Birmingham church bombing in 1963, which killed four young, innocent black girls.

The Rev. Sharon Risher

But never in my life did I think our country would return to such unspeakable acts of violence and intolerance. And then a white supremacist walked into my family's church.

There is a direct correlation between the violence and racism in Charleston and the violence and racism in Charlottesville, Virginia. And until we put an end to systemic racism in this country, African-Americans will continue to disproportionately bear the devastating effects of gun violence in America.

Not only did the Charlottesville protesters carry their Nazi and racist flags and spew their bigoted chants, but they also openly carried their guns to scare and intimidate others. In this case, the deadly weapon that resulted in one loss of life and 19 injuries wasn't a gun, but a car that rammed into counterprotesters. My heart aches for the family of Heather Heyer, as well as the families of the two police officers killed yesterday while monitoring the protest.

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