We are living in a truly unprecedented time in the Twin Cities. In the last two weeks, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers and the subsequent protest activity have utterly rocked our community. The Minnesota Psychoanalytic Society and Institute publicly denounces the police brutality that led to the death of George Floyd and abhors the underlying racism and devaluation of black life.

In this sad time, we offer condolences to the family, friends, and community of George Floyd.

In addition, we share the anger felt by so many in our community who have seen racial disparities play out again and again. Racial bias and racist attitudes, both conscious and unconscious, are persistent in our culture and in our institutions. It is long past time for all of us to grapple with these widespread injustices and work for meaningful change.

As an organization that aims to educate, provide resources, and support to the MPSI community and to the public, we wish to do our part to bring about change. It is imperative for us to find the tools and demonstrate the willingness and the endurance to tackle the sickness that continues to infect our culture, our society, and our institutions.

To do this, we must start by looking at ourselves. We must look inward, and we must also participate in dialogue around why racist beliefs go unnoticed or unchanged. In addition, we strive to support the rebuilding effort in our local communities.