WE ARE WITH YOU: A Letter from the Executive Director
Today, the COMPASS staff took a stand. Please take the next 2 minutes and 50 seconds to see and hear from some of them.
Dear COMPASS Community,
Last week, George Floyd died as a result of inhumane brutality. This was not an isolated event. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. Christian Cooper. It’s part of a history of unequal treatment and violence that’s rooted in our country’s past and continues today through systemic racism.
People of color are too often denied basic privileges that others take for granted. I’m not talking about the privileges of wealth, education or job opportunities. I’m talking about the fundamental human and civil rights and the dignity and respect that come with them, something as mundane as going for a jog.
COMPASS is an organization that values the tremendous power that diversity brings. Our mission is “to equip those it serves with the skills to become self-sufficient, productive members of their communities and society.” We promise to continue to support you, to support our diverse communities and to foster a culture that deeply values and respects diversity and inclusion. Equity and compassion must be at the forefront of everything we do.
As we move forward, there needs to be communication and collaboration. We need to talk and we need to listen. This is imperative in order to make change.
Laura Lajewski
Executive Director