The murder of George Floyd and the aftermath have shaken our state, our country, and the world. These should not be seen as random events. Centuries of systemic racism set the stage for this latest tragedy, in a long saga of violent oppression. HMML expresses its sympathy for all victims of racial injustice and stands in solidarity with all who seek to confront and defeat its sources, in the hopes of building a more just and equitable future.

The work of HMML is based upon the premise that we must listen to the voices of all cultures and creeds in order to find understanding. In our community, many voices have gone unheard and unacknowledged for too long, and this must change now.

This must be our calling: to listen to each other. Listen to each other’s pain, anger, and despair. Listen to each other with openness and compassion. Listen to each other so we may find mutual understanding and respect, the only possible basis for moving toward the justice and dignity that so elude us now.