Ernest C. Withers, "I Am a Man," 1968.
We stand in solidarity with those in our community who are hurting and angry right now, and who have been hurting and angry for too long. We stand against racism and oppression in their many forms. We stand with those who are making their voices heard even from behind masks.
We believe that there can be no speedy resolution to a history of violence that stretches some 400 years. We also believe that it is our duty to take the actions within our power to work towards a better future for all in our community.
Our mission is to share the stories that make Memphis lovable, fascinating, and unique. This work would be bland and motionless without the diversity that is interwoven with our local culture.
Nine months ago, this magazine fell into a deep well of our own making when we published a cover designed around a racist caricature. The harm we caused in that moment brought us to our knees, where we prayed — some of us to God, some of us to our own better angels, all of us to you, our neighbors — for greater insight and to be of greater care every day thereafter.
We stand in solidarity with black and brown people in our community not in spite of the errors of our own history, but in large measure because of those errors, and because of the greater obligation we now carry to do the work of antiracism.
If you are searching for a tangible way to support, giving money to a bail fund is a useful option. Locally, two such funds are administered by Just City and by the Black Lives Matter fund through Mid-South Peace and Justice Center. There are many, many more ways: Support black-owned businesses with your dollars. Vote. Read books that foster antiracism. Talk to friends and family, including children, about what is happening all around us.
Some may question the motivations for this message. To which we say only: Far better to be questioned and found wanting than to remain silent. We are far from perfect, but we will not be complacent.
