By K. David Weidner, Ph.D., Executive Director
It’s natural to wish for life “to just get back to normal” as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us. But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly “normal” — whether it’s while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park.
…But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station — including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day — to work together to create a “new normal” in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.
~Former President Barack Obama
On Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 8:46 p.m., the Pilgrim Monument turned off its lights for nine nights, in honor of the last nine minutes of George Floyd’s life. The Pilgrim Monument stands in solidarity with those who seek justice and equality.
Racism goes against everything the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum stands for. Our mission as an institution is to advance education, learning and inclusion.
Provincetown has long been a beacon of hope and a respite for marginalized communities. Together, we can all continue to learn and be part of the solution as we all move forward to help end systemic racism.
~David
Photos credit: Jamie Demetriou, photojournalist