There are moments in time when history expects you to deliver on the promises you make – equity, justice, opportunity, understanding.
That moment is now.
Over the past week, we have all been collective witness to a wave of raw emotion prompted by the killing of George Floyd. Publicly and privately, we feel sadness, anger, exhaustion and rage. Thousands have taken to the streets to speak out against what we know to be true: George Floyd’s death at the hands of police, coming as it did so soon after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery while going for a jog and Breonna Taylor in her own home, is not an isolated incident. Rather, is a brutal reminder of the violent consequences of racism in America.
Person-to-Person stands with those in the communities in which we live and serve. We pledge to confront racial injustice wherever we see it and promote equity whenever we can. Founded in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 by parishioners of St. Luke’s Parish in Darien, Person-to-Person sought to honor Dr. King by opening and maintaining a dialogue intended to lead to understanding and reconciliation. Concerned about growing civil rights issues, our founders took bold action to advocate for and offer assistance to those impacted by poverty and injustice. To this day, these principles of creating equitable access to resources provide the framework for our programs – food and emergency financial assistance, casework services, campership, scholarship, mentorship – and imbue our connection with the community.
More than 50 years after Dr. King’s assassination, justice remains elusive. Yet, in his words: “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” We each have an opportunity and an obligation – every day- to take the path of our founders, to work towards progress, to seek understanding. Today, we reaffirm the values on which we were founded.
Person-to-Person remains rooted in the principles of equity, opportunity and justice that Dr. King taught. We are committed to serving in the collective work towards an equitable and just society.
In solidarity,
Nancy Coughlin
CEO
