A message from CCIU

Angry, frustrated and in pain, we stand with America’s Black community. As an organization whose core principle is “Love Thy Neighbor” – and for us that means EVERY neighbor – CCIU condemns the systemic racism that led to the inhumane treatment and murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and incalculable members of the Black community.   

We recognize that condemnation is just the first step to address the painful inequities and deep division in America. Specific actions must follow.   

We also recognize that our work to promote interreligious understanding is undermined if we fail to confront the persistent and awful reality of racism.  

We commit to being self-reflective and vigilant in living our values, and pledge to pursue the following steps immediately: 

• There are local organizations that have been working to fight racism, inequality, and violence here in our community. We will learn from them, work with them, and support their efforts to create a just and equitable society.       

• Led by our 27-person Board representing 9 religions, CCIU will engage in antiracism education, and urge our members and faith communities to pursue such education efforts for both adults and young people.

• We will be especially vigilant in our efforts to call out bigotry, racism, injustice, and hatred of all forms, from individual statements and actions to institutional policies and practices – both formal and unspoken.     

• We will do the work necessary to learn how to be proactive and valuable allies.      

• And we call on our brothers and sisters of every religious community in the Greater Hartford region to come together to fully realize our common value that all people are created in the image of God.

Loving our neighbors is an imperative that we cannot ignore. Beginning today, we need to be relentless in the pursuit of sustained, radical love until every one of our neighbors enjoys the basic rights and freedoms so many of us take for granted.