To our community,
The fatal, senseless shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright this weekend in Brooklyn, Minnesota is a continuation of the unrelenting trauma and nightmare experienced by our BIPOC community when it comes to interaction with law enforcement. In this case, an officer meant to use her Taser and instead fired her gun at Wright who was trying to drive away after being stopped by law enforcement.
This action, along with the George Floyd murder trial, will increase the level of fear and anxiety everyone is feeling now, which includes our team members, our clients and, of course, members of the broader community. We believe that those with privilege in our community must not diminish or minimize what members of our BIPOC community are feeling and saying now. We must listen and learn.
Sound believes it is our duty, as one of the largest providers of community behavioral health, to acknowledge just how exhausted and tired those subjected to racism and injustice must be. Violence and racism against People of Color has literally been going on for centuries, burdening our clients, team members and members of the larger community with anxiety, fear, and racialized trauma.
Witnessing the violence perpetrated against Duante Wright, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Second Lt. Caron Nazario, Willie McCoy, and countless others over the years, Sound expresses its deep sadness and sorrow to African Americans all across the country. But we are not just anguished, we are angry. Angry that this continues and outraged that more must be done to quell what is a very disturbing trend in this country.
At Sound, we are channeling our anger into meaningful action, through our Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion efforts. Among the ways we are supporting our team members are Sharing Circles, Listening Sessions, and Team meetings that are actively facilitating conversations about racialized trauma and interaction with law enforcement, in addition to other relevant topics.
Sound offers a welcoming environment to Black people, BIPOC, the LGBTQ+ community, people of diverse ages, identities, and perspectives. We are a welcoming environment to people who have been on the farthest margins of society. Our team members come from all walks of life and our clients have had harrowing experiences feeling forgotten and left behind. Our work every day reminds us that there is endless inequality out in our world. And we will do everything we can do to fight it. Sound continues to be committed to being a voice for Justice and Equality and working to eradicate injustice and inequality every day in the work we do and the people that we touch.
For members of our community, there are resources available to both get engaged or to learn how to support your BIPOC friends, family members, or colleagues: