Vibrant’s Statement on the Derek Chauvin Verdict
It is gratifying that George Floyd’s murderer will know accountability, and his family may receive a small measure of peace.
We know that there is so much more we must do to achieve justice in our nation. Justice would mean that George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Breonna Taylor, Ma’Khia Bryant and so many others would be alive today. Justice would mean that Black people, Indigenous people, other People of Color – and all who suffer oppression in our society today – would be safe, free, and able to thrive.
Over this past year, many of us have experienced fear and anxiety as we have been exposed to repeated acts of violence against people of color. This continued assault on Black and Brown communities, who have experienced generations of racial trauma, is a serious threat to both our individual and our nation’s collective mental health. The pain of these experiences has been exacerbated by the lack of accountability and true consequences to those who have inflicted such acts in our communities. We must remind ourselves that it is okay to feel overwhelmed, angry, numb, or whatever else you may be feeling. It is also all right to feel relieved, even optimistic.
Let us honor George Floyd and the countless other Black lives violently taken from us by using this verdict to move beyond awareness to commit to action and never staying silent. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
At Vibrant, we rededicate ourselves to ending systemic racism and creating a society where everyone belongs, where everyone is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve and, as a result, creating a society where everyone can be emotionally well. We continue to move ever closer towards embedding antiracism as a fundamental part of our organizational culture and work at Vibrant.
We hope you will reach out to your loved ones and your colleagues, avail yourselves of the resources that exist, and take a moment to rest in the knowledge that yesterday, we saw the start of accountability. We must remain vigilant in our collective efforts to end systematic racism.
We continue our work toward that more equitable future. The path is long but we are grateful to walk it with all of you.
In solidarity,
Kimberly Williams
President and CEO
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