A Commitment to our Neighbors and Community

George Floyd represents one of the countless other victims in our country who died in a senseless and unthinkable manner at the hands of those who should have been there to protect. Our deepest sympathies and shared grief go out to the Floyd family and friends and our community.

The pain, struggle and conflicts – happening in and around Minneapolis and felt in so many hearts – are not separate from us, from our work, from our life-saving mission. The manifestations of rage, grief and persistence in all their varied forms are human expressions of life that can only be born out of tragedy. LifeSource is an organization that lives in the space between life and death. We value and respect life and believe that all life is a gift.

For more than 30 years, our LifeSource family has worked with our region’s diverse communities to break down barriers to donation and transplantation. We are proud that six years ago, we intentionally decided to relocate to North Minneapolis to create a home for donation and a space where we could be part of the community and share the gift of life to the Northside of Minneapolis.

Today, it is clear we must elevate our commitment to our organization and community. The widespread injustice black communities face every day in our nation are now and should forever be in the spotlight exposing a history of systemic racism and inequality. It is past time for real change.

We pledge to do the following: 

• Donate resources and support to our neighbors dedicated to eradicating racism and rebuilding our community. Our first step is to make significant contribution to West Broadway Business and Area Coalition. Their mission is to create an inviting and vital West Broadway Corridor and to transform the Northside into a thriving economic community.
• Support team members with paid work time to volunteer to address the immediate needs in communities near them.
• Strengthen our career pipeline for healthcare professionals of color. LifeSource has a summer internship program and has worked with organizations such StepUp by AchieveMPLS to prepare students for career readiness. We will continue these programs and look for opportunities to expand them.
• Provide a platform and space for listening, learning and action.
• Stand with diverse communities for today, tomorrow and in the future. One of our strategic priorities is to strengthen service to and engagement with these diverse communities and ensure they are represented in our resources and materials.
• Examine our policies, recruitment, programs and initiatives with a more equitable and inclusive lens.
• Communicate regularly with our team and increase our equity and inclusion education and our professional development opportunities and resources. Especially during this time, we can offer more opportunities to reflect together.

My goal, as founder and CEO of LifeSource, is to make this change last beyond the media cycle. Our Leadership Team will show up to listen and to collaborate. Our doors will remain open for those who want to learn more about LifeSource and for organizations seeking a space for meetings, education, and events. We recognize opening our doors to our neighbors allows us to both give and receive the gift that can only be given through partnership, respect and cooperation.

We are listening. We are here. And, we support you. We invite all conversations around how we will continue this work together and only together, find a new way forward.

With gratitude,