As the Board of Commissioners, we honor the strength of Black communities, the centuries of injustices they have endured, and the leadership that so many have demonstrated as our community and our nation collectively face the truth of what it means to be Black in America.
We have felt outrage, grief, and despair at the murder of George Floyd and so many others killed by police due to the color of their skin. Today’s verdict represents a step of accountability, and the Board continues to stand with the family of Mr. Floyd.
This country’s history, and its ongoing legacy, of racism, discrimination, mass incarceration, poverty, stark health disparities, and murder of Black people means that so much work remains to build a more equitable country. As the Board of County Commissioners, we vow to continue our efforts to build toward justice in our own community by dismantling the systems, including those within our own organization, that contribute to the oppression of Black, Indigenous and all communities of color and helping people heal from the harms caused by those wrongs.
Signed:
Chair Deborah Kafoury, Commissioner Sharon Meieran, Commissioner Susheela Jayapal, Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson and Commissioner Lori Stegmann