By Jessica Murphy
FRAMINGHAM – The killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Elijah McClain and more, and countless other injuries to Black Americans, at every level, is unacceptable.
The systemic discrimination, disadvantagement, oppression, and unequal treatment of Black Americans that has allowed this to happen is unacceptable.
Institutionalized discrimination in U.S. housing policy has played a large role in setting the stage for the racial inequities that persist today. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity that work to address housing inequities must understand that history. We must hold a mirror to ourselves—regardless of our own discomfort—and see how we have been complicit in an unjust and unequal system, and how we can work to remedy it.
Habitat for Humanity is committed nationally to be part of the solution.
Locally, our Habitat Affiliate stands with the Worcester Together Coalition to actively work to end racism and unconscious bias.
Starting now, the Board of Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater
Worcester, Inc. will actively engage with and listen to the experiences of our Black Homeowners, community leaders, staff, volunteers and friends.
We will reach out to include more People of Color on our Board because we are stronger when all points of view, all experiences, and all communities join in our mission.
We will look for opportunities to support Black-owned businesses.
We will repeat these actions until we are making a difference.
We will hold Habitat for Humanity, our Board and ourselves accountable for where we go from here.
We will do better, because Black Americans deserve that.
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Jessica Murphy is the board President for Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester, Inc. She is a Framingham resident