Every individual and family in Kalamazoo County deserve to live in a community free of racism, where they feel safe and supported to thrive. However, systemic racism continues to prevail through gun violence and acts of hate. This past weekend we witnessed a hate group incite fear and violence in our community and saw how our community’s safety was not prioritized equitably.

We need to continue prioritizing equity for our community to effectively address root causes of systemic racism and remove barriers that prevent justice from prevailing. We affirm and support Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Kalamazoo’s statement centering the work of community healing, demanding accountability for harm caused by local leadership, supporting communities of color who have to bear the brunt of this harm, and calling for transformation of systems based on justice, love and humanity.

We encourage you to learn more about the effects of systemic racism and violence in our community through TRHT’s virtual Truth Talk Aug. 20 from 4 to 5:30pm focused on gun violence in Kalamazoo and join the discussion regarding action steps for community healing. Learn more about this event at TRHT’s Facebook page at facebook.com/TRHTKalamazoo.

To learn more about systemic racism, please visit KZCF's Anti-Racism and Racial Equity Resource Page.