June 5, 2020
RCRLN Membership and Guests,
On behalf of the leadership of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and the Race and Cultural Relations Leadership Network, we thank you for investing the time and energy to engage in our effort to increase awareness and inspire action on the issues impacting our community. For over 25 years, the Race and Cultural Relations Leadership Network (RCRLN, the Network) has served as a forum that convenes, educates, and mobilizes community leaders on racial and cultural issues to improve the quality of life in the Indianapolis area. This morning, the Network continued this tradition by engaging nearly 200 people in a timely, honest, and, yes, sometimes difficult discussion concerning the racially and culturally charged issues confronting our community and our country.
We heard from a diverse and intergenerational panel of servant and thought leaders, leaders who challenged us all to move beyond words and “incremental steps” to intentional, meaningful, and monumental change. We heard the call to address systemic racism, mental health, tenants’ rights, economic inclusion, and police reform. We received constructive feedback regarding ways that public and private engagement can be impactful, and heard calls for accountability from law enforcement. As always, the Network encourages our members and guests to take the information shared and collaboratively engage in seeking solutions.
Furthermore, the Network commits to gathering the input received today and moving beyond words, as our collective sense of urgency is aligned with the community’s call for action. We look forward to serving as a reliable, credible, and effective partner and invite each of you to share in this journey going forward. In the coming days, we will work with the full membership of GIPC, our sponsoring organization, to identify specific action items and those within GIPC membership who can bring expertise around those issues.
If you have additional input, reflections, and action steps you would like to share, and/or would like to get more involved with the Network or any of our partners, please feel free to contact Network Director Toby Miller at your convenience at toby.miller63@gmail.com.
Yours in Service,
Anthony “Tony” Mason, Co-Chair
President & CEO
Indianapolis Urban League
Lindsey Mintz, Co-Chair
Executive Director
Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council