We Stand With Our Community

Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery is in mourning. The killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer, has left us shocked and outraged. We grieve for Mr. Floyd, for his family and for our community.

While we call on our public officials to root out the racist individuals, systems, and practices that led to Mr. Floyd’s death, we acknowledge that racism is not unique to law enforcement. We see racial inequities deeply embedded in our child protection system. In our county and our state, African American children experience out of home placement at a rate much higher than that of white children, and the percent of African American parents who have their parental rights terminated is much higher than for white parents.

Many of the families that use Crisis Nursery services are families of color. The Crisis Nursery is committed to supporting all families, and especially families of color, as they continue to encounter racism and oppression in our community. We believe in their strength and courage, and we stand with them in calling for systems that are just and fair.

Our deepest sympathy is with Mr. Floyd’s family and all members of our community who are impacted by this tragic event. While we cannot erase the pain felt by our community, we are, and will continue to be, a resource for families who are struggling. The following are recommended resources on trauma and community violence:

National Child Traumatic Stress Network: https://www.nctsn.org/

Community Violence: https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/community-violence

Trauma Response: https://childmind.org/our-impact/trauma-response/guides/