Time for a change: Thoughts from PCL's Board and Executive Management Team

Solace for most of us these days is elusive. There are forces at play that challenge us at every turn. A pandemic. An economy in free fall. Unbridled racism. Despite this, people in our country are raising their voices for equity and equality. Banding together and bonding as one with hope as a centerpiece and raging anger as the catalyst. Finally, taking a stand for unifying social justice, and creating lasting societal change. We will do all we can to end the plague of racism and overwhelming injustice. People with hope hold the keys to change.

Martin Luther King said this: "Justice for black people will not flow into society merely from court decisions nor from fountains of political oratory. Nor will a few token changes quell all the tempestuous yearnings of millions of disadvantaged black people. White America must recognize that justice for black people cannot be achieved without radical changes in the structure of our society. The comfortable, the entrenched, the privileged cannot continue to tremble at the prospect of change in the status quo." 

At the core of Partnerships in Community Living is wholehearted advocacy for Social Justice. We stand with anyone willing to shake a fist at the unconstitutional treatment of any person, idea, or group. Justice deferred is justice denied and will never be acceptable for people that value equality and equitable living for anyone who seeks it. We have the power to change. We have the right to fight for it and the will to exercise it. To this end, any person, any organization, or group that represents themselves as fighting for social justice must stand side by the side with the African American community and all people of color and stand up against the injustice and systemic racism that exists in our institutions and our society.  Justice for George Floyd is all our responsibility. 

Our stand is best summed up by our Co-Founder and Co-CEO Zellee Allen: "Our society for too long has functioned on two racial planes. We all must recognize that all races are intertwined. The fallacy in America is that white people are controllers and authority of society. This expectation of white privilege has systematically been ingrained in our laws, systems, and the world around us. It has gone on for too long, with too many dire consequences. It is time for a change." 

It is time for a change. Standing together and never giving up, this can become a reality. At PCL, we commit to fighting all forms of racism, to make our voices heard, and to adhere to a strict culture of eliminating racism once and for all. We recognize our own privilege and acknowledge how this has impacted how things are today. We must take this moment to harness the groundswell of hope and anger to change, and together to push Black Lives Matter. 

Please let us know what you think. You can email your comments to our Co-Founder and Co-CEO Joanne Fuhrman, jfuhrman@pclpartnership.org.