Bending toward justice
Our community has watched recent events unfold in Minneapolis, followed by protests across the country and here at home, with a mixture of heartbreak and anger. In times like these we look for answers—solutions to help us address and heal the nation’s long-standing racial trauma; solutions to find stability in what feels like chaos.Â
Our country is in a time of intense difficulty, as people struggle to meet their basic needs, work to remain strong, and grieve for loved ones lost.
Sustainable Pittsburgh grieves with the family of George Floyd, and so many others who have fallen victim to a society that disproportionately hurts Black America, even as we navigate a pandemic with yet more disproportionate impacts by race.Â
Sustainability is about actively tipping the scales toward justice, stability, and responsibility to each other and the world around us. It is also about holding on to hope. We stand alongside so many others, in moments like this, finding a path through to that better world, together.
Racism is not part of a sustainable society. Community policing, criminal justice system reform and accountability, and the encouragement of compassion and respect from and to all our residents are all essential parts of the solution. These things are not straightforward to implement and require much additional work, but this work is key to a sustainable future. Difficult conversations, held with honesty, vulnerability, and self-examination are the start.
Through continuing, impassioned effort, we can achieve our shared goal of rising out of moments like this and building a better tomorrow. A more equitable tomorrow. A brighter future. We must continue to add to the side of the ledger that builds what has been broken, and supports what might be lost.
As it always is, the choice is ours and the moment is now.