STATEMENT OF CONDOLENCE

March 20, 2021

Once again, we find ourselves embracing the shock and grief of an act of terroristic violence against a designated group. This time it is our siblings who are Asian. This is a hate crime and it behooves us to name it and not to pretend that this act of violence is anything less than a hate crime which was carried out by a very disturbed young man. We offer our condolences, thoughts and prayers to the families who have lost their loved ones and along with that we offer them our commitment to continue to work to create a new narrative in this country that will not support the energy that fuels the fires of hatred toward anyone.

We stand in solidarity with all of the people in Atlanta and across the country who are working to create more spaces where acceptance, love and appreciation for all people will be the only acceptable behavior.

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Along with this we want to be clear about the necessity to create better systems to assess and provide mental health treatment for those among us who need such care so that it will be more difficult for messages of hatred and invitations to practice violence against others to thrive.

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The work of every thoughtful and peace loving person must be turned toward diffusing the narratives of hate that offer violence as a problem solver. This act of violence against the precious souls that were lost and all other such acts cannot be tolerated. We need to be outraged enough as a collective community to stand in solidarity while proclaiming that we will stand against such acts by not being so quick to forget and to move on to the next news story.

Let's take the time to grieve for those who were killed and for the young man who did the killing. Let's allow ourselves to lament about it. Then may we rise from the grief and lament with a new determination to do more to make this land a place where this type of violence will cease to exist.

May God give us the will and the courage to do whatever is needed to create a less violent world and may God have mercy upon all of us.

Catherine Meeks, Ph.D

Executive Director

Center for Racial Healing

Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright

Bishop

Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

WELCOME TO OUR BRAVE SPACE.

Statement of Solidarity

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The Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing acknowledges and pays respect to past and present tribal members of the Indigenous nations who were forcibly expelled from the lands Georgia now occupies: the Muscogee (Creek) and the Ani’yun’wiya (Cherokee). Standing in solidarity with all who are oppressed, we deplore the hatred and violence shown historically and in the present to Indigenous people, African Americans, African Caribbeans, Asian and Asian Americans, LatinX, Pacific Islanders, and all other oppressed persons. We will continually seek to dismantle the racism that threatens us all as human beings.

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Our virtual library is replete with resources to educate, inspire, and prepare you to advance racial healing. We have a high regard for each group listed and their particular strengths. Therefore, our tools and resources are organized in a manner to affirm, honor, and take care not to dilute their individual cultural distinctiveness and diversity.

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