To Our Community:
Like many of you, we have both experienced a range of emotions over the past several days. From anger to sadness; from despair to hope. It has been an emotional rollercoaster. The atrocious and heartbreaking incident with George Floyd in Minneapolis was indeed the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” when layered on top of the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless others. The question, “When will it end?” looms in the atmosphere of our nation. Our prayers are with the families impacted by these avoidable and tragic incidents. Our hope and prayer are that justice will be served and that these recent incidents will be the catalyst to eradicate systemic racism in our nation.
As individuals, we are committed to prayer, speaking out on injustice, voting in every election, giving to causes that support equity, participating in peaceful demonstrations to support justice, and educating ourselves. As the leaders of our organization, we are committed to ensuring that our organization is living our mission of “for all.”
For all is a simple but powerful phrase. We are all responsible for working together to ensure that everyone - regardless of ethnicity, ability, age, faith, gender or sexual orientation - has the opportunity to reach their full potential, with dignity. The Y promotes a culture free from bias and injustice. We are dedicated to removing institutional and systemic barriers that result in oppression and racism. But we cannot do it alone. Now more than ever, it is up to all of us.
If you’re wondering what you can do as an individual when you are a witness to anyone speaking negatively of another person based upon race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or abilities, know that silence can be viewed as agreement. Use your voice. We, as an organization, are also evaluating other ways that we can provide opportunities for members of our community to listen and learn, with the goal of creating real understanding and change.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or traumatized by the recent events, please reach out to a trusted family member, friends or clergy member, and/or please take advantage of local services.
For those who believe in the power of prayer, please continue to pray. Remain hopeful; remain prayerful.
Sincerely,
Todd Rangel, Chief Volunteer Officer, YMCA of Greensboro
Rhonda Anderson, President/CEO, YMCA of Greensboro
Click here to read a statement from our NC Alliance of YMCAs