A Word From Chamber Leadership

June 4, 2020

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This last week has been filled with painful reflection and unsettling outrage. We grieve for Mr. Floyd’s family, and we grieve for those in our own community, our neighbors, who are deeply affected by the emotional, physical, and psychological pain caused by senseless and unjust acts of violence. We join hands with our neighbors across the nation in denouncing the tragic and unjust death of Mr. George Floyd.

There is no place in our hearts, our community, our nation for hate, violence, racism, or anarchy. These serve only to violate our dignity and our spirit. It is why shadows of remorse and anger linger, and why we feel helpless even as we seek justice and change.

Over the weekend, we saw thousands walk arm-in-arm in peaceful protest. We’re inspired by those who spoke up, citizens who kept watch over our streets and businesses as the sun went down, and volunteers who showed up with broom in hand and heart intact the next morning to clean up. They represent the honor and the dignity, the strength and the soul that is community.

We also saw peaceful protests devolve into destructive, disheartening acts of violence against innocent members of own community, businesses, and property. These deeply painful societal imperfections of our country’s democracy come racing at us amid an unprecedented pandemic and vast social, economic, and political soul-searching. And yet, the issues are not unfamiliar to us; they did not arise overnight. There is no better time than now to do better, to be better, to prove to ourselves and our children, that we are better.

There is no place in our community for violence. No place for casting personal verbal, physical or psychological attacks against another. No place for the destruction of our neighborhoods, our public spaces, our private properties. There is no place in our community for individuals who use fear and anger against us, and against that in which we believe and those we love.

We believe the goodness in people will prevail. We trust and support the honorable men and women among us who put their own personal safety at risk to protect our lives and livelihoods. We share a love for our community, our neighbors, our children, and their future. We will protect that which we love, we will listen to learn, and learn to pursue a better version of ourselves and our community, individually and collectively.