UPDATE
Our community, like our country, has been impacted by the events of this year. We are all still trying to deal with a frightening pandemic that has affected our lives as individuals, families, neighbors, schools, and businesses.
We don't know when, or if, we will be back to "business as usual," and this uncertainty is stressful for most of us.
Additionally, over the past few weeks we have seen horrendous examples of police brutality, especially toward people of color. These events are not new; our country was founded on the oppression of Black people.
The abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights Act, while certainly steps forward, did not eradicate the disease of racism in our country. Systemic oppression and brutality toward people of color continues, and we are seeing the results of that system today.
The Community Mediation Center St. Mary's County believes that all people deserve respect, dignity, and equity in this society. It is not enough to be "not racist"; we need to be anti-racist and actively work to make our communities safe and equitable for all.
Our transformative mediation process focuses on empowerment of all parties and helps people to understand, if not always agree, with each other. If you are struggling with how to speak with someone about the events taking place in our community we are here to help. You can call, 301-475-9118 or email St.Mary.Mediation@gmail.com for more information.
Our community conversations bring together people of different backgrounds to discuss ending racism and White privilege in our communities. These services continue to be available at no charge in a safe, online process during this pandemic. If you are organizing an event (Town Hall, Public Forum, etc) and would like a facilitator for your discussion, please call us at 301-475-9118.
We can't make our world better if we don't talk about the problems that exist. That's why we are here - for confidential, non-judgmental conversations. Let's talk.