Mayor Rossi Issues Statement On Death Of George Floyd

WEST HAVEN, CT — From the City of West Haven: Mayor Nancy R. Rossi has issued a statement on the death of George Floyd. Read the full statement below:

I stand with you and support all those who are raising their voices to end all forms of racism and discrimination. As we grieve the brutal and senseless murder of George Floyd and countless others who have lost their lives to systemic racism, we hold their families and loved ones up in prayer and pledge to work tirelessly and together to make our world more inclusive, just and equal. West Haven joins the many cities within our state and across the country in recognizing the need for real and immediate change.

We cannot change the past, but we can and must change the future.

To be clear, this is not just an issue for black and brown communities of color, this is an issue for all of us. The real and persistent existence of racism in our society was laid bare most recently by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the calling of police on Christian Cooper while birdwatching in Central Park. West Haven cannot and will not brush aside what these incidents made clear.

It is the responsibility of all of us — elected officials, community leaders and residents — to call out racial inequality when we see it, to lobby and push for real change, and to be the change we wish to see in the world.

I thank our residents for participating and welcome visitors to West Haven — please proceed carefully out of respect for the lives we have lost, as we all stand in solidarity with each other to pursue equality for every man, woman and child in this nation.

Thank you, and God bless you all.

This press release was produced by the City of West Haven. The views expressed here are the author’s own.