Black Lives Matter
May 25, 2022
Remembering George Floyd
Today marks a painful anniversary. Two years ago today, George Floyd was murdered on a Minneapolis street. Vivid memories linger of the shocking video showing an officer, charged with public protection, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. Nine minutes and twenty nine seconds later, George Floyd was gone. His words “I can’t breathe” live on in our collective consciousness. When the world witnessed his death, it launched a protest movement of a scale and scope unlike anything we have seen in decades. We heard millions declare that “Black Lives Matter.” While we were possibly heartened to see a court hold the officer accountable for this murder, one verdict does not bring about the systemic change we need to shut down racism.
We were reminded of this just last week, when a shooter, with documented white supremacist beliefs, opened fire in a supermarket in Buffalo, NY, methodically killing 10 people and injuring three more. Almost all of them were Black. This was one of the deadliest racist massacres in recent American history. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, neighbors, and everyone affected by this mass murder.
The Portland Food Co-op firmly believes that Black Lives Matter. The Co-op stands in solidarity with our Black community members. We stand with those protesting anti-Black actions, and those that are engaging in other anti-racist work and actions. We condemn white supremacy and any ideology that suggests a race or group of people is genetically or culturally superior to another. Now, more than ever, it is vital that we all take a stand. We need to move beyond being inclusive to being intentionally anti-racist.
In Cooperation,
John Crane
General Manager
June 2, 2020
The Portland Food Co-op’s Statement in Solidarity With Our Black Community
The Portland Food Co-op firmly believes that BLACK LIVES MATTER.
The Co-op stands in solidarity with our Black community members. We stand with those protesting anti-black actions, and those that are engaging in other actively anti-racist actions.
The seventh Cooperative Principle is “Concern for Community.” Our community includes Black people who are on our staff, shop in our store, and live in our neighborhoods across Portland and throughout Maine. These members of our community are held hostage by a system that disproportionally inflicts violence and injustice on them.
Black Mainers represent roughly 1% of the Maine population, and yet roughly 12% of incarcerated individuals are Black.
23% of the youths incarcerated at Long Creek are Black, which is nearly 12 times the Black representation in Maine’s youth population.
We see this disparity in healthcare, too. Despite making up only 1.6% of Maine's population, Black Mainers make up over 20% of Maine's COVID-19 cases.
This is not right and this systemic violence against Black people needs to end.
The Co-op’s mission is to work to create a culture that is inclusive and equitable, largely focusing on food justice. However, food justice cannot occur without racial justice. Our Co-op staff and board are currently discussing what steps we can take to further our commitment towards racial equity and justice. We will share what those steps are in the future.
“Concern” needs to become actions that work to dismantle racism and put a stop to police brutality.
Update: December 30, 2020
One of the steps the Portland Food Co-op has taken to create a more inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist co-op is the creation of an Equity Committee. The role of this commit is to examine is to examine the Co-op’s policies and practices, and provide recommendations and support to create a more racially and economically equitable co-op, and a more just food system at large.