Sherwood Mayor Mays Joins Regional Mayors Statement

The Metropolitan Mayors Consortium, comprised of the Portland Metropolitan Region’s 26 mayors, stands in solidarity with our residents as we mourn the murder of George Floyd at the hands of those entrusted to protect him. We also recognize that Mr. Floyd’s tragic death is not isolated, and that no community is immune to systemic and historic patterns of racial injustice. As mayors, we are uniquely positioned to convene our communities—particularly black people in our communities—to listen and examine our processes and policies with full transparency and advance meaningful reforms. We are committed to taking these actions.

We also stand united in our support of the peaceful protests which testify to the systemic and institutional racial violence that plagues our nation. We recognize our responsibility to heed this collective expression of grief and justice with humility, and we accept our obligation to be agents of institutional change. There is a long road ahead, but the work must be engaged expediently, and it starts with us at the local level. As mayors, we must initiate the work with contrition, empathy, open minds, and love.