The tragic and needless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade are evidence of an undeniable impact of racism in our country. For far too long we have witnessed tragic stories of racially motivated deaths and actions that rightly spark national outrage. Each time this occurs, the bright light of attention is cast upon this abhorrent behavior, pledges are made to end this disparate treatment, and then we collectively move on with our lives…until the next event.

Our response to racism must transition from event-based outrage into a steady and sustained fight to ensure all our people are treated with respect. The violent death of a fellow human being clearly demonstrates that we must do more.

I received my first Equal Opportunity class when I enlisted in the Army. An African American Drill Sergeant clearly stated to us “that it didn’t matter where we came from, or our ethnicities. We were all Green now, Army Green!” The military is far from perfect and not immune to the effects of racism, but we continuously drive home the lesson that we are “One Team.” When we enter the crucible of battle it becomes clear that our survival and victory depend on our collective effort. We can only win as a team.

When times are tough, Americans have previously come together to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. Our nation must now come together and confront this insidious threat to liberties each American holds dearly. We must speak with one voice and confront racist behavior wherever it exists. We as a nation can do better, and we must remain vigilant against intolerance in any form.

Home Base has stood as a beacon of hope for Veterans, Service-Members, and their families for more than a decade. In the coming days, weeks, months, and years beyond, we will seek the collective wisdom of our staff, hospital, and community leaders to help continue to develop a welcoming, caring, and supportive care environment for ALL veterans, families, and staff. The words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaks to the time: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Collectively we can shine a very bright light on racism and drive this hate from our country, and we at Home Base are committed to empowering our staff and our greater Home Base community to:

LEARN

Do our homework, learn important history, listen to those who have been on the front lines of social justice, and amplify their messages to our audience.

ACT

We commit to both immediate and long-term actions:

We are exploring how we can leverage our expertise in mental health to offer support groups for those who are suffering and expand our resources and clinical hours for those who are looking for a safe place to turn

We will provide educational resources to better inform our community on what racism is, and how to work through these challenging times

We will host a series of town hall meetings with our staff to better understand employee concerns about inclusion at Home Base and in serving our clients of various backgrounds, and how we can make a more significant impact in the communities we serve

STAY ENGAGED

Having open and honest conversations as a community to understand the struggle in its roots and potential solutions is just one of the ways we can do better. It is our responsibility to be the catalyst for change.

The anger and fear you may be feeling right now are natural and entirely acceptable. Our clinicians and our organization are open to learning about your experiences and feelings.

To speak with a member of our team:

Call: 617-724-5202

Visit: www.homebase.org/connect2care

Today and always, our team is available and ready to serve you.

We encourage you to keep the dialogue open – so we can learn, grow, and help – and we welcome your feedback as we work to make meaningful progress together.

Brigadier General (USA ret.) Jack Hammond
Executive Director
Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program

Michael Allard
Chief Operating Officer
Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program