We have shared many of these thoughts with you in previous email and blog posts. I felt it was important to repeat those messages here while sharing our ongoing commitment to equality and equity.

On the day we organized, Whitney/Strong made a commitment to fight all forms of gun violence. While much public attention is directed at mass shootings, we hold gun violence of any kind within our purview - including gun violence at the hands of police.

At first, the thought of speaking out against police gun violence was difficult for me, someone who’s alive due to the heroic efforts of the Cincinnati Police Department. However, the task is made less challenging as I witness the courage and bravery of so many – police and civilians alike – who demand that we meet this national moment. 

To do this, we must begin by confronting the binary narrative playing out in front of us. This narrative tries to force us into either demanding justice for Black lives OR supporting law enforcement – not both. To be clear, you can both respect members of law enforcement and believe that policies must be examined to eliminate racial disparities. 

We will always speak up when something is wrong, even when it is challenging to do so. This is one of those times. Whitney/Strong stands firmly against racism, discrimination, inequality, and inequity. These beliefs are intertwined in our mission.

At this critical juncture, we want to share our action plan to fight racial injustice.

• We have and will continue to share stories of the impact of gun violence in communities of color. It is our hope that doing so will humanize the victims and invoke empathy and discomfort so strong that it’s impossible to ignore the depth and breadth of the pain Black people experience due to gun violence.

• We know that stories are not enough. To honor these victims, we will continue to find ways to bring our Save a Life Series to neighborhoods most at-risk for gun violence, including communities of color. This program brings together evidence-based measures like Stop the Bleed and safe storage training. These events give us an opportunity to listen, learn, and connect with local leaders and members of the community.  

• We are steadfast in championing responsible gun ownership solutions such as bi-partisan-supported legislation to de-escalate moments of crisis and suicide prevention programs designed to reduce access to lethal means. We will continue and expand our current efforts to distribute gun locks throughout our communities.

• We will use our relationships with law enforcement to find areas for improvement and will think critically about where we fit in. Work must be done to eradicate racism in all its forms, policing included, and we pledge to be a part of the solution.

Like all of our work, this action plan will continue to grow and evolve. We acknowledge that we don't have all the answers right now.  Whitney/Strong is committed to listening, learning, engaging in conversation, and finding meaningful ways to stand up for racial justice and lasting equity.

Let me end where I began. As an organization, we are incredibly grateful to our law enforcement partners for their role in implementing our strategic priorities, including Stop the Bleed training and gun lock distribution. Unquestionably, I am alive and able to do this work today because of the heroic police officers who responded with selfless disregard for the danger they faced. I am still in awe of their bravery and humanity in that moment. Let us hold that moment as our North Star and insist that those same values are universally applied - especially to our Black brothers and sisters.  

I encourage each of you to think about your own plans of action and the steps you can take to fight for equity. We welcome your partnership and participation in our journey to create meaningful change. - Whitney

We can do better together.