black lives matter
The International Friendship Center of Highlands, NC, joins in solidarity with activists around the world who demand justice for all Black people who have faced discrimination and violence, including the horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks and far too many others. We acknowledge that these are not isolated events and we remember the Black lives lost to police violence and hate crimes. We also acknowledge the devastation that has resulted from years of personal and systemic racism in this country. These profound inequalities make us acutely aware of race. We cannot be complicit in our silence as the price of silence and inaction can be death.
Our mission includes building Community and fostering understanding among all people. We build community by acknowledging the essential role that diversity and inclusion play in what we do on a daily basis. Racism and discrimination violate our values and have no place in a society that honors our collective humanity.
We are committed to using our platform to support people of color within our communities, to listening and learning and to doing better. We will focus on developing a more diverse leadership team to bring more voices to the table. We stand with our local and global neighbors who are committed to cultivating a just and equitable society for all. We want to keep this dialogue open, especially locally, and to be transparent in our progress. Through our social and human service programs, we will work together to understand and confront our own biases, to work for justice for all and to build a culture that reflects inclusion. We will continue to create safe spaces for dialogue to break down existing barriers and to keep building an inclusive and just community.
To the people of color in our community and beyond, we hear you, we are listening, we stand with you, we believe in the values of dignity and respect for one another and we want to build on our foundation to do better, be better and to be part of the solution.