HPN Emphatically Affirms That Black Lives Matter

It is a somber time in America as yet another black man, George Floyd, is memorialized and buried after dying at the hands of law enforcement. The Housing Partnership Network stands strongly with the African American community in condemning the senseless, tragic and racist murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.  These events have generated angry protests around our nation and world against the systemic racism in police departments and the broader society that underlies these horrific acts. We emphatically affirm that Black Lives Matter and strongly support and join with those who peacefully protest against this ingrained racism, which has been part of America since its founding and persists today.   Last week, in the midst of the pandemic and nationwide protests, HPN hosted a virtual meeting of 200 leaders from the nation’s top affordable housing nonprofits. Leaders from Minneapolis and other cities described the intense grief and pain felt by their staff and residents over these racially motivated murders and injustices, as well as the torrent of outrage and frustration in their communities. They also recognized the urgency of challenging ourselves to confront systemic racism in our own work of building equitable communities - in part by making our organizations more reflective of and accountable to the people we serve.   HPN is committed to redoubling our efforts to achieve racial justice and equity. We will work to strengthen our own diversity and that of our sector, educate ourselves and create meaningful pathways to opportunity for all. This work is more important now than ever.