Statement
Contact:
Matt Bach
Director of Communications
Michigan Municipal League
(734) 669-6317; C: (810) 874-1073
[email protected]; www.mml.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 8, 2020
Listen. Engage. Act.
We must listen. We must act.
The tragic and brutal death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis and the resulting protests have put the issues of police brutality and racial injustice at the forefront of the American psyche. Citizens throughout the country are demanding that their governments combat brutality, inequity and racial intolerance in all their forms. Local officials must seize this moment.
The Michigan Municipal League Board of Trustees affirms that Black Lives Matter and reasserts its commitment to model and teach diversity and inclusive behavior. The best communities are those that are welcoming to everyone and provide for the safety of all who live and visit there.
It is our responsibility as community leaders to respond to our residents through systematic change. To foster real progress, we must combat the problem of police brutality and work to eliminate it in every community of every size and demographic makeup.
The change we create must be strategic and done with compassion and understanding.
As community leaders, we serve our citizens best when we understand their experiences-the good and the bad. As we move forward, it is time to hear the voices of everyone in our communities. These conversations can be difficult and uncomfortable, but they are long overdue.
The time to act is now.
Brenda F. Moore
President, Michigan Municipal League
Saginaw Mayor Pro Tem
William Wild
Vice President, Michigan Municipal League
Westland Mayor
Members of Michigan Municipal League Board of Trustees. View list of members here.
For additional information contact Matt Bach, communications director for the Michigan Municipal League, at 810-874-1073 and [email protected].
About the League: Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.