First and foremost, on behalf of our organization and the Ujamaa Men, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the parents and family of Amir Locke, as well as friends and all who are grieving his loss. 

It’s difficult to put into words what I’m feeling, but I’m going to try. Less than a year apart, two Minnesota police officers were convicted for the unjustified killings of 2 black men, George Floyd and Daunte Wright. We can’t even catch our breath, before another one… Just when we begin to think we’re making strides, we are reminded of how far we have yet to climb. 

In the pits of our despair, we mustn’t get discouraged. When we feel like giving up, we must channel the strength of our ancestors, knowing they are with us, and we must live to fight another day. I know it’s difficult, and we’ve been through enough already, but we are a mighty people. We must not forget that we are not alone either. Living in Minnesota, I like to think we’re lucky because for every bad apple, there are many more white allies willing to stand with us in this fight against injustice. White allies, we need you now.