Impact NW stands in solidarity with our Black community

May 29, 2020

At its core, Impact NW has always stood for justice, fairness and inclusion. We have always stood with our community’s most vulnerable. These time-tested values drive us and inspire us. So when we see in our community, or our nation, actions that decimate our values, we are — as one of our valued team members put it this week — shaken to the core. We are also obligated to condemn them. The intentional, willful execution of George Floyd sickens us. We denounce this act and the racism that fueled it. We demand the full prosecution of Derek Chauvin and the other police officers involved. Justice must be quick and thorough. We condemn as well the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, the dehumanization of Christian Cooper and the myriad other racist and violent injustices toward our African-American community.

Impact NW would also like to offer our support to our Black clients, employees, supporters, partners and community members. We recognize the fear and anxiety, anger and frustration you experience every time a Black person is killed by law enforcement or faces dehumanization by people and institutions who violate the trust given them to serve the public good.

We also recognize that our community shares in the lineage of injustice and anti-Blackness in this country. Oregon’s history of racism is well documented; racial discimination and violence is also part of the public safety legacy of Portland. Our institutions and public systems have much work ahead of them.

Impact NW has been part of the Greater Portland community for the past 54 years and holds a share of the responsibility to stand for justice and to work vehemently to build the type of community that our Black community is asking for. Our work begins as home. We are committed to real action over rhetoric. We have work to do, and we take that work seriously. Our Black community has a clear vision for our community. The time to prioritize this dream is long, long overdue.