There is no doubt we live in tense and dangerous times. The rise of hate crimes and incidents has escalated to unprecedented levels.
Recent and ongoing events in Elk Grove have created fear and anxiety in many people, and it is upon us in the faith community to find ways to address these events, call upon authorities to take hate crimes and incidents seriously, and to end the hate where and when we can.
Please be invited to a community discussion and forum Thursday, October 19 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Speak Up and Out Against Racism and Injustice.
Elk Grove United Methodist Church
8986 Elk Grove Boulevard
Elk Grove CA 95624
Discussion leaders will be LaKenya Jordan, MPH and Addie Ellis, PhD, both experienced problem solvers and discussion facilitators within our community.
From vile messages and vandalism at an Elk Grove African American hair salon to racist graffiti scrawled on a local home, hate incidents and crimes have not mobilized the authorities to take action on these obvious hate crimes. Too often authorities have dismissed these hate crimes as acts of juveniles as if that makes a difference. It doesn’t.
Such acts are a warning – the canary in the coal mine – that tell us something is terribly wrong in our town. They too often are precursors to greater and more deadly violence. We cannot allow this to escalate! Our public safety officials and government leaders must take these incidents seriously!
Please join us even if you’re not from Elk Grove to lift voices of concern and possible solution to this danger that confronts us. Please also come to assure the victims they have our care.
This event is sponsored by California Council of Churches, Elk Grove UMC, Sacramento NAACP, and California Church IMPACT, and the South County African American Coalition. Please join us for this important community action.
Hope to see you there!
Really glad you’re doing this