Pain and progress.

We are witnessing the rise of a mass movement that has grown out of unspeakable pain. Today's mass protests reflect the cumulative effect of centuries of inequality that created an environment in which a white police officer could casually suffocate a black man on camera. 

And yet, for the first time since the 2016 election, I feel a genuine sense of hope about our nation’s future. 

This comes from seeing millions of Americans from across races, ages, geographies, and even political persuasions come together to demand change. The collective outrage of victims and allies has reached the point where it can not be ignored. Even in an ailing democracy, lawmakers respond to mass movements.

Change won’t happen easily or quickly. The solutions aren’t nearly as clear as the problems. And powerful forces will fight with all they have to protect their self-interest, which means fighting to maintain systemic racism at any cost.
 
But the scope of this uprising suggests that we've reached a tipping point...a moment when the impossible seems possible, even inevitable...when we can imagine moving forward toward a fairer, more equitable future. And if we can make real progress toward ending racism, who knows what else is possible.
 
This is what hope looks like. Let’s keep it going.