Minnesotans awoke to devastating news that Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, and Senator John Hoffman and his spouse were also shot in what Governor Walz has described as a “politically motivated assassination” in the early hours of Saturday, June 14.
We are absolutely horrified and our hearts ache for their families, friends, and loved ones, and for Minnesota.
Many of us in the nonprofit sector in Minnesota are engaged in policy change work and knew these dedicated civil servants personally.
We are feeling a range of emotions: grief, fear, anger, and confusion. These moments are difficult to process, especially when they hit so close to the values and relationships we hold dear.
We don’t have all the answers. What we do know is this: violence has no place in our communities. Every elected official deserves to serve their community without fear for their safety or their lives.
We believe in the power of exercising our freedom of speech over destruction. We believe in a vibrant, multicultural democracy where differences are not only tolerated but embraced. No matter our political affiliations, Minnesotans know how to show up for each other.
We commit to the work of organizing, advocating, voting, leading, speaking out – not just on behalf of our sector, but for our inalienable rights, freedom, and democratic values.
We owe it to those who have lost their lives to this fight, and we owe it to each other.