FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2020
Greater Omaha President and CEO, David G. Brown, released the following statement in response to recent events:
“The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other recent events have sent shockwaves through our community, bringing to the fore our own history of failures regarding civil rights, equality and inclusion. These events and the death of Mr. Floyd represent long-standing inequities and division that exist both nationally and locally in our society. This division has been exploited and perpetuated during the pandemic giving rise to hate and xenophobia around the world and leading to violence, racial stereotyping and fear. We know that this is merely the symptom of a far greater disease. We deplore racism and inequality of any kind. And, at the same time, we appreciate the efforts of civilians and officials who expressed their hurt and anger by exercising their first amendment rights through peaceful protests. Peaceful protest, not violence against people or our community, will move the discussions towards solutions.
As an organization, our vision is to ensure Greater Omaha is a vibrant place to do business, work and live. We have recognized the importance of diversity and equity for the future success of our community and have engaged business leaders in pursuing equity for all of our citizens. For our community to achieve its true potential, we believe every citizen must be included in our shared prosperity. We challenge business and community leaders, ourselves and each person in the region to actively work towards a better understanding of one another and commit to actions which produce a more inclusive community and economy.”
About the Greater Omaha Chamber
The mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to champion a thriving business community and a prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration.