Dear Community,

Many are waking up to the nightmare that has been lived by black people in this country for more than four hundred years. 

I feel outrage too, but my outrage is filtered through my white privilege. The majority of our organization is white. A larger percentage of those we serve are people of color. We understand this incongruence limits us. 

We as individuals and as members of Maria Droste Counseling Center are renewing our pledge to embrace and honor diversity in all of its forms. We pledge to expand our work and leverage our platform to amplify black voices and deepen our commitment to fighting racism against all people of color in our community. We are intentionally reflecting on our history, strengthening our values, and expanding our knowledge. We are listening and leaning into difficult conversations. 

We are a work in progress. It’s not a comfortable place to be. We don’t experience introspection without pain. But that is how we grow and overcome. We are accountable to being change agents in our community, and we invite you to stand with us.

In Action,

Dr. Sandra Mann, CEO