Habitat CEO statement on verdict in George Floyd murder case
ATLANTA (April 21, 2021) — Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan T.M. Reckford issued the following statement following the jury’s finding of guilt of the officer charged in the killing of George Floyd:
“I am encouraged that this verdict brings accountability in this case and that the justice system will hold the officer responsible for his reprehensible actions. While no verdict could bring George Floyd back to his loved ones, I hope that this trial will lead to reforms all across our country that will protect others from meeting his fate.
“We know that the work for racial justice — and the imperative to end police violence against Black Americans — must continue with steadfast resolve and without delay.
“To Habitat’s Black homeowners, staff members, volunteers and other supporters: I recognize the extraordinary burden that these events have put on you, and that you carry this trauma every day. As Americans, we may all feel shame and grief as we watch these killings. But you bear this pain in a way that I know I can never fully understand. Over the course of this last year, I have been listening to you, hearing you and seeing you. Scripture reminds us to ‘rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep,’ and commands us to bear one another’s burdens. What I can do is pledge to do my very best to stand with you, to be your ally in healing and in the continuing fight for justice.
“As we move into a time of healing, this moment calls on me to reflect on Habitat’s vision: A world where everyone has a decent place to live. That vision is not just a roof and four walls. That ‘place to live’ is in a community that supports each other, a world that values its people as each made in the image of God. It is that world that Dr. King described as the Beloved Community, and that we need to keep building.
“There is a wide gulf between the world today and that vision. At Habitat, we believe in the power of building. We believe a bridge can be built over that gulf. But we can only build it together.”
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in south Georgia. Since its founding in 1976, the Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.