In the weeks since the tragic death of George Floyd, there have been renewed cries for justice in the face of the countless Black lives lost to police brutality. Protests and calls for action continue to grow. We see this as a moment to remind ourselves and our community that we will stand fast in our fight for Black and Brown lives in our city and across this country as we honor our statement of June 4, 2020:
The unjust and tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless others are just the most recent in a long history of horrific deaths that shake our community and our country. These events are the result of deeply entrenched structural racism. We see ourselves and our community reflected in their faces.
As an organization whose work is led and informed by members of our community who are most impacted by structural racism, we stand shoulder to shoulder with those that fight for justice and for the right to live without fear of persecution, violence, or death. We have been and will continue to be in this fight, committed to working with and for our community towards a more equitable and just society—today, tomorrow, and in the years to come.
Groundwork Lawrence is committed to anti-racism. We are fighting for equity for our Black and Brown lives, for our community. Our work is anchored in the relationship between three key principles—changing places, changing lives, and changing systems. The systems and places we work to change are inextricably linked to Black and Brown communities, and fighting to undo this legacy of oppression is the only way to change lives. We must break the cycle to ensure that our youth have the opportunity to embark down a different path—one free of systemic violence and oppression. We must keep fighting to ensure all will be free to define their own futures.
This statement only begins to address how our work fights for racial justice. In the coming days, weeks, and years, GWL’s work will continue to prioritize the addressing of race-based inequities in our society and offer resources for community members to learn more about and take action on these issues.