Senseless murders of individuals like George Floyd and so many others remind us of the arduous work ahead. However, yesterday’s verdict brought accountability, a sense of relief, and a signal that change is coming. We recall the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness,” to guide us through this change as we work to eliminate discrimination and hate.
That work requires further reflection and action in our national struggle to address inequities; examination of our own implicit biases; and the courage to take a stand. We must engage in difficult conversations about structural racism and all types of discrimination. We must do so publicly, constructively and without apology. The actions we take today to eliminate systemic racism, oppression and discrimination will determine the future we build for tomorrow’s generation.
We are called to speak out, get in what the late Congressman John Lewis called “good trouble,” and seek justice where there is wrong. Together we go forward remembering the challenge posed by Dr. King: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
Say his name: George Floyd.
Debbian Fletcher-Blake, APRN, FNP
Chief Executive Officer
VIP Community Services