I work in state government and received an email from the secretary of our department. Below are his words, not mine.

Our fellow XXXXX employees who are black or are people of color, or who are also affected by the tragic, senseless murders of Black Americans are not ok. It’s not just the events of the last week that are traumatizing; it’s a pervasive legacy of generational trauma and systemic racism that makes these recent events a painful reminder that we are all not yet equal as people. It’s acknowledging that while many things unite us as co-workers, there are very real lived experiences tied directly to the color of one’s skin that some of us can’t begin to comprehend.

Without question, exercising our right to peacefully assemble to voice our concerns is raising awareness globally. That said, the violence we see in our communities is hard to watch. Please reserve judgement about the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to protest. Let’s not have that be yet another thing that divides us. At the core, I believe we are seeing grief and for anyone that has or is grieving, we each express grief differently.

What can each of us do today? Start with kindness and listen to the experiences of people of color. Listen and pause. Don’t react or debate or make these experiences about you, if you are white. Commit to learning about experiences different than your own and avail yourself of resources and trainings personally and professionally. Take the time to learn what privilege means, how to be a better ally and to understand your own biases. I will share a list of resources and trainings that I and others have used in a future, separate message. Encourage and be part of respectful dialogue. These conversations are not easy, but we can and must talk about racism to be part of the solutions. These are just a few actions we can each take to dismantle the racism that endures in our nation.