DONATE TAKE ACTION DONATE A Reflection on The Anniversary of George Floyd's Murder As the nation marks the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd – a moment that shook our nation to its core – we all likely find ourselves filled with a variety of emotions, each for different reasons. For me personally, it is complicated by the fact that the Twin Cities is my home, and my husband and I have raised two children here. So, I come to you today as a team leader at Heart of America, as a believer and determined citizen of the Twin Cities, as a mother, as a wife … as a human being. As we mark this tragic anniversary, my heart remains broken in places and stitched together with hope in others. When I came onboard as Heart of America’s President & CEO four years ago, I was both humbled and excited to join an organization that was founded in 1997 to address inequities in school communities across the country. Even though I knew those inequities didn’t start and end in the school building, the murder of George Floyd brought a deeper sense of meaning to our work and our mission. That is why it was so important to me and our entire team to work deliberately to make sure the communities we serve know that we see you, we hear you and we are working for you. Our very existence is grounded in acknowledging, standing beside and advocating for marginalized communities. Even though the tragedy of George Floyd happened in the Twin Cities, we know that the inequities aren’t isolated to a geographic footprint. And neither is our work. We continue to listen and seek to understand community needs - from Los Angeles to Minneapolis to Washington, D.C.; from the Navajo Nation to Chicago’s South Side; from Houston to Atlanta and everywhere in between. The list goes on and on. The longstanding inequities that are far too prevalent across our nation were exacerbated by the pandemic, making it clear that we have much work to do – both as an organization and as a nation. While these inequities underscore the places my heart is still broken, there are still moments of hope that continue to inspire me. And, those moments come from the work we’ve done across the Twin Cities in partnership with so many amazing people and organizations. Because, in my experience, the best path forward is always the one that we travel together. When companies, nonprofits, public entities and local residents join hands to build a better way, we not only create better shared spaces, systems and outcomes – we build community. As an organization driven by compassion, we were compelled to find a way to engage with other organizations and the community to help with rebuilding efforts in Minneapolis and St. Paul following George Floyd’s murder. In partnership with HandsOn Twin Cities, Rebuilding Together Twin Cities and Tree Trust, we’ve engaged volunteers and corporate partners in reimagining and repairing community spaces, small businesses and residences. Through this coalition, we’ve involved communities and organizations led by local Black, Indigenous and People of Color and prioritized investments to ensure we provide what is needed to heal … and to thrive. Our mission at Heart of America is clearer than ever because of the inequities that have been underscored over the past year. Our work lies at the intersection of education and social justice. And we know the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd is not the end of social justice work; just as the end of the pandemic is not the end of education equity work. We will continue to respond to inequity and double down on community-centered solutions for as long as it takes to create equity and justice for all. I continue to be grateful for the thoughts and wisdom and partnership of all our friends, supporters and partners in this work. And, I’m confident that the transformational work we continue to do at Heart of America will extend far beyond the modernized, inspiring physical learning environments that are the cornerstone of our work – it will extend to the more equitable and just future we seek to create together. In community, Jill Hardy Heath President & CEO The Heart of America Foundation® Heart of America Response to COVID-19 Educational and Virtual Resources Learn how you can help students in need Heart of America 655 15th Street NW, Suite 800 Washington DC 20005 202-347-6278 EIN 52-2034127