"Our country continues to contend with the horrific killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Across the country, people are exercising their right to protest against these injustices. As a country and a city, we must face the reality that we have systemic issues that disproportionately affect black people and that need to be addressed now," writes Rev. Kaloma A. Smith, pastor of University A.M.E. Zion Church and chair of the Human Relations Commission. (Click here to read the full Guest Opinion piece on Palo Alto Online.)

Rev. Smith's call for change was presented at the Palo Alto City Council Meeting on Monday, June 8. Click here to read the Palo Alto online June 9th article about that meeting.

All of us are asked to pray for our country, our cities, for change and for jusice. AND we are called to act. You can support changes in Palo Alto right now by doing these few simple things:

• Email your city mayor, city manager, and council members in support of police reform!
• Make public comments on community forums supporting calls for racial justice and BLM. Insist on the dignity and worth of black lives and all people of color. Lift up the need for change right here! Keep the conversation going.
• Visit the #8cantwait website to learn about the campaign to make these 8 life-saving policies part of all police departments. Scroll down to find out  what policies your local police department has in place, and what need to be added. (If you city is not listed there, do the research yourself.) NOW start a campaign to make ALL OF 8 CAN'T WAIT POLICIES STANDARD PRACTICE IN YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.

Find out what needs to be done in your own city and call for change!