Black Lives Matter

June 9, 2020  0  6218   

Community Medical Centers stands with Black Lives Matter protesters from across the country who are fighting to end police brutality, white supremacy and the racist violence that targets the black community and other communities of color in the United States. As an organization dedicated to the physical and emotional care of all of the members of the communities we serve, we despair over the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and we weep for the countless others who have lost their lives because of the persistent disease of bigotry that has plagued our country since it was founded.

 

The racism that batters our country is antithetical to the inclusivity that Community Medical Centers has stood for since it was established more than 50 years ago by activists determined to deliver healthcare to migrant farmworkers. We are here to serve all who need us, regardless of race, age, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. While our diverse staff is reflective of the communities we serve, we know that we must still work to ensure that our clinics and offices are safe and welcoming places for all.

 

Now is the time when all of us must, finally, pull together for the common purpose of making the United States more equitable. We as an organization and a group of individuals pledge to learn and grow from recent events. We must make sure that we do not miss another opportunity to move toward equality as a society.

The recent events have taken place even as the coronavirus pandemic has devastated our communities. But we must recognize that COVID-19 is only one of the public health crises faced by black communities in the United States, who have suffered a pandemic of inequality for as long as this country has existed. Those inequities play out today in lower birthweights, inadequate healthcare coverage and shorter life expectancies.

 

Community Medical Centers is prepared to do its part in the fight for equality. We stand beside all who are in this struggle and we pledge to use our platform to aid in the hard work to make the changes our country needs and deserves.