Dear Bowery Mission community,
The Bowery Mission mourns with the Black community in this trying time. Words cannot possibly convey the grief, anger and sadness we feel in response to Saturday’s racist massacre, targeting and taking Black lives in Buffalo. These are people who matter to God and to us, and their lives were taken in a violent expression of hate.
In this great injustice and loss, our shock and anger can give way to despair, frustration, hopelessness and apathy. The repetition of this cycle with injustice is an immense burden to bear, particularly for people of color. We see these realities daily as we serve a community experiencing homelessness deepened by a legacy of systemic marginalization.
In moments like these, we turn to our community at The Bowery Mission, inviting one another into honest conversation, to listen deeply to one another and to make safe spaces for one another’s grief, lament, and rage, and then uphold one another in prayer.
We pray that The Bowery Mission is a place of caring and supportive community and we will continue to grow as an organization that reflects our diversity and honors the lives of our staff, volunteers, clients and guests.
Thank you for standing together, in our pain and loss.
James Winans
President & CEO