Dear InterCommunity Health Care Staff and Supporters:
The horrific shootings this weekend in Buffalo, New York, of African Americans and in Laguna Woods, California, of Taiwanese Americans are tragic and disturbing on so many levels. We grieve for these victims and their families, and denounce the hate crimes that cause so much suffering to so many people.
While the continuing pandemic, social injustices, and racial inequity are just some of the challenges that our society continues to grapple with, we believe there is hope. We can join together as fellow citizens and never give up on the work of healing our nation’s painful divisions. The keys to strong and healthy communities are kindness, empathy, civility, and common ground.
Prevention of violence begins in early childhood with support for parents to raise emotionally healthy children. We need to identify and intervene with troubled individuals who threaten violence. At InterCommunity Health Care, we advocate for community-based and collaborative prevention and intervention strategies to address the social problems that lead to gun violence and hate crimes, and we are committed to reducing disparities. We encourage everyone to join in helping to build a just and peaceful society, and to always seek the commonalities that unite us all, while also respecting and being willing to learn about our differences.
–InterCommunity’s Executive Leadership Team: Kim Beauregard, Tyler Booth, Tracey Decker, Jeff Hughes, Michelle Smith Cotto, and Dr. Danilo Pangilinan; and the WE CARE Council.