Wednesday, in our Nation’s Capitol

Statement from our Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, Sonja Spears and our CEO Barry Bock 

On Wednesday, we saw the horrifying images of our nation’s capitol being looted, vandalized and overrun by lawless rioters unable to accept the fair and rightful democratic process that elected a new president and our first woman of color vice president. A process that has been routine, orderly and accepted for countless years instead unfolded into a scene that many of us never thought we would witness in our country- a scene that made us question how firm our foundations of democracy really are. The scenes that unfolded were a very grim reminder that words matter.

Many of us are also angry, appalled and cycling through many emotions as we contemplate the difference in treatment and rhetoric afforded peaceful racial justice protesters at that very site months ago and the countless numbers of insurgents who walked away from the scene of their destruction without being arrested. Every disturbing scene from Wednesday, to those of the inequities revealed in pandemic illness and mortality, to the brutal images we saw that sparked a renewed fight for racial justice are reminders of the consequences of looking away. As a nation we cannot afford to be comfortable with just looking away anymore.

At BHCHP, we remember that the most honorable use of power is to put that power in service of others- affirming our shared humanity and connections as human beings inhabiting this earth. As we reflect on the heartbreaking events of Wednesday, let us not forget to let the work we do each day be a testament to that.