From the desk of Thomas R. Harrington, President & Executive Director, Valley Youth House:

Yesterday, a Minnesota jury found Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd. This historic trial and conviction should remind us of the value of every human life. However, we recognize that this case is just the beginning of addressing systemic changes that are necessary to reform the many systems that negatively impact our minority communities.

This past year has been overwhelming, as we have not only had to navigate life in the midst of a pandemic, but also as we’ve witnessed many lives being subjected to acts of violence and hate. It has been an incredibly emotional time for our nation, our Agency and especially for our Black, Brown and Asian communities.

At Valley Youth House, we vow to continue to build a community that interrupts, corrects and addresses practices and behaviors that perpetuate institutional racism.  We have a responsibility to support our employees, youth and families by holding ourselves to high standards of accountability, and we take on that responsibility proudly.

We continue to encourage greater respect toward one another, as well as to recognize and eliminate racist violence or other acts of harm where we find them.  At Valley Youth House, we all envision a world in which every young person belongs to a nurturing community. In order to make that vision a reality, we must continue to work together toward a more just and civil world today.

Sincerely,

Thomas R. Harrington
President & Executive Director
Valley Youth House