Along with the rest of the country and world, I have watched the recent harrowing events unfold, and felt anguish and anger. George Floyd’s horrific murder, and the callousness of the police officers on scene who failed to intervene to save his life, illustrate the most heinous parts of our society.
I believe with all my heart that, in the words of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, “No one is free until we are all free.” Like many of you, I routinely put these values to practice in my daily life. But that is not enough. To make change, each one of us must speak out and be heard — in all aspects of our lives.
In light of this, where does the Justice of the Peace Association fit in? JPus and findaJP were built upon a foundation of love. All love. Quoting MLK again, “We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love…” We stand against racism and discrimination and will work for the change we want to see. We are an inclusive organization that believes in equality of all people. And our activities must reflect these values.
How can our marriage-focused organization be a part of the solution to end racism and discrimination? Our team is finding our voice and determining what steps we should take to do better.
First Steps:
- We strengthened our policies to better reflect our beliefs.
- We are revising the Code of Ethics that all members agree to when they join the Justice of the Peace Association. They are currently in DRAFT form, and we invite members to comment before we finalize them.
- Please view the DRAFT of the revised Code of Ethics and send me an email with your feedback.
Next Steps:
- Formally updating the Code of Ethics
- Implicit bias training for officiants
We also renew our commitment to ensure that our space is welcoming and safe for people of color. We encourage all members of our community to join us in solidarity with our friends and neighbors and to speak out and demand policies and laws that address systematic racism. Some steps we can all take include:
- Join peaceful protests to let your voice be heard.
- Contact your legislators.
- Have conversations. Even if they are uncomfortable.
- Support organizations that address racial inequality. A couple that we like:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Color of Change
I always welcome your calls and emails, but especially during this time. Together we will be better by working for the change we want to see.
In health and safety,
Loretta
Loretta Jay
Managing Member
203.255.7703
[email protected]
Related Links
- Member support article Exploring Our Own Implicit Bias
- The Justice of the Peace Association’s Code of Ethics