To the Staff of Southminster:
As an organization dedicated to the well-being and dignity of older persons founded by two Charlotte churches, Christ Church and Myers Park Baptist Church, we are profoundly troubled by the recent police killing of a defenseless black man in Minneapolis. This blatant injustice is not an isolated incident. It is part of a historic pattern of abuse of power largely focused on people of color. It is fundamentally contrary to the American ideals of fairness and equal justice. It offends basic decency.
During the current pandemic, our dedicated, diverse staff, especially those in health care, are working tirelessly in unusually demanding, stressful conditions, to care for our residents. Under these circumstances it is entirely understandable that the death of George Floyd is felt especially deeply. Consequently, it is right that we acknowledge that although we are created equally, some of us live in the shadow of racism. Therefore, we affirm our active support for racial justice.
Members of both founding churches and residents of Southminster along with thousands of Americans have recently assembled peaceably seeking an end to racial injustice. Previously this board has acted to achieve greater inclusivity. Although we currently have no members of color on the board of directors, we have had in the past and we have the commitment of an African American former board member to rejoin the board. We strive continuously in our recruiting to better represent our community’s diversity. We currently have no African Americans among our residents; however that is changing within the next few weeks. We are reemphasizing these initiatives, but they are not enough. Going forward we intend to more actively help build a more just and humane community. As an initial step on that journey, we will direct a portion of our charitable contributions to one or more organizations committed to racial justice.
We are grateful for your continued dedication to the residents of Southminster, embracing them with compassionate care and professionalism.
The Southminster Board of Directors