In the wake of the horrific and senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others, we are reminded yet again that the plague of racism remains deeply entrenched in our society and institutions. We join our Black community, staff, and clients in strongly and openly condemning these racist acts. At the same time, we continue to confront and challenge ourselves to consciously and actively fight the biases and racism we see in our personal and professional lives. But we will not just relegate these victims to the ever-growing list of tragic deaths, only to be lost as another statistic. We will say their names, remember their experiences, and share their stories. Only when learning to see each other as whole persons, with varied and complex lives, can we begin to erode our prejudices and expand our compassion.
 
With renewed passion and purpose, we at Legal Services of Northwest Jersey rededicate ourselves to the cause of equal justice. Each day our staff will strive to further our mission, which began more than fifty years ago, to protect our most vulnerable and often disenfranchised communities from crucial losses of housing, physical security, income, and other basic needs. We will continue to be an open door for this population when so many others have closed. In every interaction with people in our professional and personal lives, we pledge to truly listen, practice empathy, and treat each person, regardless of race or background, with attention and dignity. We will hold ourselves accountable to our cause by combating the racism and discrimination we see. By consciously upholding these values, we will endeavor to do our part so that justice for all can be more than just a dream and aspiration.