At Distant Horizons we have always stood for promoting understanding and compassion amongst all people and across all cultures. The events over the past month have forced us to confront not only police violence against African Americans, but also catastrophic inequalities in health, education, employment and endemic racial discrimination. The disregard for the dignity of another person who was pleading to breathe shows us the frightening depth of racism in this country. Too many African American mothers have to teach their sons how to behave on the street so as not to arouse suspicion and become victims like George Floyd and countless others. This has to stop. Now. Please join us at Distant Horizons in committing yourselves to understanding injustice, in participating in actions to thwart it, and in making a promise to end racism here and across the globe. Black Lives Matter.
For more information the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture has wonderful online resources here.
In closing we urge you to read an Langston Hughes’s poem about America. It was written in 1935 and is as accurate and relevant today as it was then. We leave you with the second stanza
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
Langston Hughes, 1935
This powerful poem may be read in its entirety here.