Dear Friends,

The election of Donald Trump, along with right-wing majorities likely at each level of the federal government, presents a clear danger to many of our communities. The actions of Trump’s first presidency, the promises his campaign made — not to mention his personal character and history of sexual assault — have put a target on communities of Color including Black, Indigenous, and Latine, as well as 2SLGBTQIA+, women, immigrant, and refugee communities we serve.

In these perilous times, we want you to know that our full-range of resources are dedicated to uplifting, serving, and protecting our community partners. While we’ll continue operating in community, and responding to community needs, now more than ever we want you to feel comfortable reaching out to us for support. If your community needs our support, don’t hesitate to contact me directly and let me know how we can be helpful. We are in your corner and we will act quickly to protect our community.

While we did not anticipate this result, in the coming days and weeks we will be looking to how we can put our resources to good effect. We anticipate supporting legal action and advocacy against policies that threaten our communities. We will support community protection. And, above all, we will be responsive to your needs.

At the heart of our work is building and sustaining community power. Through these challenging times, we know that the love and connections we share will continue to build community resilience in our region. 

In Community,

Zeke Smith, President, Empire Health Foundation

zeke@empirehealthfoundation.org