Standing With The Black Community
We at the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust share the anger and sadness being expressed across the nation in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, among the countless other tragedies and examples of racial violence against Black people in America. These murders and the persistent and pervasive institutional racism that caused them are wrong. Black lives matter. Always. Everywhere. Period.
We acknowledge that the Greenway Trust is a predominantly White organization in a historically White-led sector, and so most of us can’t know the injustice, prejudice, fear, and suffering that Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color experience every day. But we can see your anguish. We can hear your calls for justice and equality. And we know we must stand with you for change.
How can Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color feel welcomed in the outdoors if they do not feel safe in this country? How effective can our coalition be when we don’t ensure a seat at the table for everyone who should be there?
We need to work harder and be a better partner. We’re listening, we’re learning, and we’re committed to examining and improving our own organization and to using our privilege and capabilities to contribute toward a more just and equitable society.
Jon Hoekstra
Executive Director
