Dear John:

On Saturday, at a supermarket in Buffalo, NY, an 18-year-old traveled to a Black community, donned tactical gear, and indiscriminately shot Black shoppers. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the 10 murdered and 3 injured people, and to the entire community terrorized by this atrocious hate-motivated mass shooting. As the victims and survivors are identified over the coming days, we will center their lives, say their names, and share their stories.

We share in the community’s grief and are horrified by the number of people who seem to be motivated to use violence by hateful online content. We recognize that the proliferation of hate speech on social media platforms and cable news is contributing to shocking increases in hate violence. And after Charleston, Orlando, Pittsburgh, El Paso, Atlanta, and now Buffalo, we know all too well the dangers of unregulated access to high-powered weapons. Here at FUTURES, we are doing all we can to stop these horrors.

Moreover, we are deeply concerned about the short- and long-term needs of victims, families, and the communities impacted by hate crimes. Now more than ever, victims and communities need programs like Community IMPACT, an initiative funded through a cooperative agreement between FUTURES and the Office for Victims of Crime, Department of Justice that we are announcing today.

Through Community IMPACT, we will soon select 12 community-based organizations to receive $50,000 - $125,000 for projects that support victims of hate crimes and promote awareness, healing, reconciliation, and access to services and resources. We will track promising practices and share strategies, approaches, and models that can be replicated by other communities. The application period opens today and we encourage eligible community-based organizations nationwide to apply by June 17, 2022. Please visit www.CommunityImpactSites.org to learn more about the initiative and application process.

Our work to build healthy families and communities includes addressing root causes of violence and systemic inequities, challenging hate speech, and much more. We all have a role to play in eradicating hate and the violence it is fueling. Together, we can – and we must –prevail.

In Solidarity,

Esta Soler,                                  Aaron Polkey,
President and Founder               Associate Director of Learning & Leadership
                                                   Program Manager, Community IMPACT