PACDC stands in solidarity with those protesting the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other unarmed black men, women, and children killed by racist acts of police brutality. We recognize the pain and outrage brought on by white supremacy, systemic racism, and years of disinvestment in communities of color, and we join our members in condemning racism and discrimination against the black community.

In our pursuit of an equitable Philadelphia, we understand that our city, nation, and world contain structural advantages for some, and disadvantages for others, especially along lines of race. We approach our work by recognizing that these inequities exist and by promoting equity in the policies we seek to advance. Still, we need to do much more to advance racial justice in our small corner of the globe.

As community developers, we owe it to our constituencies to work with more thought and deeper care to do just that both in deed and word. We re-commit to joining with others to work for racial justice in order to create a more equitable and inclusive Philadelphia. Moreover, we commit to supporting equitable ownership of businesses, property, and capital by people of color in Philadelphia, including on our commercial corridors. This is vital to the rebuilding and recovery of our communities. As our staff and Board of Directors move forward with these plans, we pledge to listen to your input, keep you informed of our progress, and we invite you to stay connected.

While we have been exhausted by the events over the past few months, it is clear we can’t afford a return to normal. We need to ensure that this moment leads to systemic change.

Simply put, black lives matter. We hope you will hold us accountable for acting as such.