A Letter to Our St. David’s Center Community as the Derek Chauvin Trial Begins

To Our St. David’s Center Community –

As the trial for the murder of George Floyd begins, I see and feel the anxiety across the community heightening, especially for people of color. Our services were interrupted on multiple occasions at the Harman Center last year following this community tragedy, as people filled the streets to demand justice, to take a stand, and to fight for change. Unfortunately our streets were also filled with factions and groups representing positions of hate, prejudice and violence. As an organization, we stand for respect, equity, inclusion, opportunity, and justice. We want all families and parents to know, especially our parents and clients of color, that we see you, we stand by you, and we support you.

As we move into the week and the beginning of the trial, I want to name that our number one priority has been and always will be the safety and well-being of the families we serve and the staff who support them. That safety encompasses not only physical safety, but a feeling of emotional well-being and support as a workplace and a space for children and families to thrive.  We have a lot of work to do as a community, and my hope is that St. David’s Center can and will be one of the places in the community that engages in the kind of conversations and work that moves us forward to become a more equitable society.

If you’re looking for a way to discuss what is going on in our community with your own family, in the spring of 2020 we shared a resource around talking to your children about racism. We will continue to strive for inclusion and equity in our own organization not only in our workforce but in the families we serve and the resources we share. Thank you for choosing St. David’s Center to support you on your family’s path.

Julie Sjordal

Chief Executive Officer, St. David’s Center for Child and Family Development