“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”

Dr. Martin Luther King

We grieve the loss of George Floyd’s life at the hands of law enforcement, and we mourn the pain that has again been inflicted on all Black lives in our country. We stand in solidarity with movement leaders and call for justice for George Floyd and so many other lives.

In a culture that continually reinforces white supremacy, justice can only be achieved when we confront and repair the anti-Blackness that is woven through every aspect of society—in our homes, schools, workplaces, communities, places of worship, and government.

Attacks on Black lives have been made possible by the denial of the democratic principles of the dignity, equality, and mutual respect of men and women, through ignorance and prejudice, of the doctrine of the inequality of people and race.

It is with the gravest concern that racism and racial discrimination continue to afflict our communities in ever-changing forms, as a result, both of the continuation of legislative provisions and government and administrative practices contrary to the principles of human rights and also of the continued existence of political and social structures, and of relationships and attitudes, characterized by injustice and contempt for human beings and leading to the exclusion, humiliation, and exploitation, of the members of disadvantaged groups.

Our brothers and sisters are expressing their indignation at these offenses against human dignity, deploring the obstacles they place in the way of mutual understanding between peoples and alarmed at the danger of their seriously disturbing personal security and safety, peace and security, what is happening quite frequently is sad, disturbing and outrageous.

At the Bayview Hunters Point Foundation, our vision of equity is indelibly bound to racial equity. The Community Improvement movement can only be fully realized when we center the experiences of men and women of color who experience state-sanctioned violence.

We believe and are committed to the hope that people and institutions can learn, grow, and change, but first we must confront the stark inequities and injustice in our systems, center the impacted communities and invest in their leadership, and collectively build power so that all people can create and lead safe, prosperous lives.