Dear Community, 

Justice for George Floyd has finally arrived. The former police officer who killed him has been convicted on all counts of murder and faces up to 40 years in prison.    

We know that no single verdict can undo systemic racism or redress this country’s abhorrent policing methods that result in the deaths of unarmed Black and Brown people. Even as the trial unfolded, the chronic tragedy of lives taken continued to underscore this truth. Systemic racial inequities remain unabated in our nation, so much so that this month, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared racism a serious threat to public health.  

At GLIDE, our racial justice work is as grounded in systems change as it is in addressing the empathy gap — the lack of understanding that so many people have been killed, incarcerated, racially profiled, denied safety and opportunity, just for being Black. It is our empathy work — founded in the possibility of radical transformation through experiential learning – that is at the heart of our values.  

For nearly 60 years, GLIDE has stood for and with the people, and we have always known that Black Lives Matter. Seeing the humanity in every person, holding space in the moment and driving a vision of justice from a place of radical inclusion, and love, for all the people. This is why GLIDE is here, every day, for everyone. 

We say their names — Daunte Wright, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Remy Fennell, Atatiana Jefferson, Andre Hill, Pamela Turner, Trayvon Marvin, Sandra Bland, and so many others — to center us in our work to end anti-Blackness.  

We know there is much more that needs to be done to realize a more loving and just society. We remain committed to dismantling the systems of injustice that perpetuate racism, inequity, and marginalization. Let us continue this important work together. 

In Solidarity, 

Karen J. Hanrahan
President & CEO