Mount Pleasant Village Opposes Racism

Mount Pleasant Village affirms its stance in support of racial equity and opposition to racism in all forms. As residents of Mount Pleasant, we have chosen to live in a neighborhood that, at its best, demonstrates an understanding that no life matters less than any other. At this moment in the history of our city and nation, confronted by reminders in our city and elsewhere that generations of African-Americans have been treated as less worthy than white citizens, we affirm that black lives matter.

Since its founding, Mount Pleasant Village has strived to be inclusive and diverse by outreach to our neighbors and through partnerships with other organizations in Mount Pleasant and throughout the city. We are cognizant of the struggles, defeats, and triumphs woven into the multicultural heritage of Mount Pleasant. We seek to enhance the lives of all who live in Mount Pleasant through mutual understanding and support, and we explicitly reaffirm our solidarity with and commitment to the Latinx community.

As citizens of the nation and of the world, our actions reveal how we recognize the worth of people everywhere. We especially honor those who have put their health and wellbeing – their lives – on the line to meet society’s basic needs for food, transportation, energy, and healthcare. Many of these workers are people of color.

Yet we can do better. The economic and political impact of Mount Pleasant Village is small, yet we can make decisions every day that show we stand against racial injustice.  Accordingly:

• We will listen to all among us who have experienced racism in any form.
• We will express solidarity with those endeavoring to address racism in our neighborhood, city, nation, and the world.
• We will engage in efforts to address and combat systemic racism.
• We will provide learning opportunities for our members to recognize and understand the roots, underpinnings, and manifestations of racism so that we can each address this scourge on the most personal terms.
• We will govern and operate our Village in a way that rejects racism and demonstrates that every voice counts.
• We will support businesses and other entities that share our anti-racist values.
• We will continue to seek ways to strengthen our resolve and commitment to justice, to stand with our partners and allies, and to amplify and support the voices and leadership of those most affected by systemic racism and oppression. 

Approved by the Mount Pleasant Village Board of Directors on June 6, 2020.