United Neighborhood Houses Statement on Police Brutality and the Murder of George Floyd
NEW YORK – May 29, 2020 – In response to the murder of George Floyd, UNH Executive Director Susan Stamler commented:
George Floyd’s murder is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a deadly and familiar trend. The senseless killing of black and brown people by police officers is a public health emergency our country has the power to stop. Leaders and policy makers must grapple with our history of white supremacy and acknowledge how power, privilege, and oppression continues to shape daily life in America before we can ever hope to live in a country where communities of color are truly free.
New York’s settlement houses have been progressive leaders in this State for over a century and continue to speak out against racial injustices while building inclusive communities. Today they fight racist ideology in public policy debates from so-called “voter ID laws” to the discrimination against Asian Americans during the coronavirus outbreak to the higher social-distancing arrests and summons in communities of color. During a global pandemic, we have seen the stark consequences of that racist ideology laid bare as black and brown New Yorkers are dying at twice the rate of their white neighbors.
United Neighborhood Houses continues to reckon with America’s racist legacy, and together with our member settlement houses, we affirm our commitment to serving as allies, listening when challenged, and leveraging what power and privilege we have to fight systemic racism. We stand shoulder to shoulder with settlement houses in extending our deepest condolences to George Floyd’s family while repeating the mantra that has shaped the latest iteration of America’s long-running battle for civil rights: Black Lives Matter.
About United Neighborhood Houses
United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) is a policy and social change organization representing 43 neighborhood settlement houses that reach 765,000 New Yorkers from all walks of life. A progressive leader for more than 100 years, UNH is stewarding a new era for New York’s settlement house movement. We mobilize our members and their communities to advocate for good public policies and promote strong organizations and practices that keep neighborhoods resilient and thriving for all NewYorkers. UNH leads advocacy and partners with our members on a broad range of issues including civic and community engagement, neighborhood affordability, healthy aging, early childhood education, adult literacy, and youth development. We also provide customized professional development and peer
learning to build the skills and leadership capabilities of settlement house staff at all levels. For more information, visit http://www.unhny.org/
Signed in solidarity by the following settlement houses as of May 29, 2020:
Arab-American Family Support Center
Broadway Housing Communities
Bronx House
BronxWorks
CAMBA
Center for Family Life
Chinese-American Planning Council
Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation
East Side House Settlement
Educational Alliance
Goddard Riverside Community Center
Grand Street Settlement
Greenwich House
Hamilton-Madison House
Hartley House
Henry Street Settlement
Hudson Guild
Huntington Family Centers
Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
Korean Community Services
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center
New Settlement Apartments
Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation
Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation
Project Hospitality
Queens Community House
Red Hook Initiative
Riverdale Neighborhood House
SCAN-Harbor, Inc.
School Settlement Association
Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan
Beach, Inc.
Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Centers
St. Nicks Alliance
Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center
Sunnyside Community Services
Syracuse Northeast Community Center
Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region
Union Settlement
United Community Centers
University Settlement
WHEDco