Update for June 1

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

Today I’m shifting from my updates on our COVID-19 response to talk about the protests across the nation and here in San Diego County, especially in their direct impact on our operations.

On Saturday, demonstrators gathered in La Mesa around our library, and last night, outside our County Administration Center. As has happened in so many situations like this, the vast majority protested thoughtfully and peacefully. Their voices exposed deep emotions regarding bias and disparities. Difficult words but important for all to hear. A few allowed their anger to spill over and cause damage to our library and to the County Administration Center. Thankfully, the damage is relatively minor, but enough that we need to close these facilities during the clean-up and repair until we are sure it is safe for employees and the public to enter. This will take a few days.

What will take much more than a few days is addressing the underlying issues that the protesters are raising.

We all need to open our ears and our hearts. But we also must not allow violence to threaten property and lives. The destruction that happened in La Mesa is not acceptable. The laws that protect our free speech are a blessing. We’re so lucky to live in a country where we can speak up and demand change to correct wrongs. But the laws that protect our safety and our property are equally important. We can’t lose sight of the rule of law or the freedom to speak out.

The events of the last several days have left us all filled with emotions. Anger. Frustration. Maybe even despair. But I see the hope that lies ahead. We have all been stirred. And when we all are stirred, we can commit ourselves to action.

The County has started initiatives like Live Well Communities, our Employee Resource Groups and Diversity & Inclusion, because we acknowledge the many issues we need to address. Unconscious bias is real. Health inequities are evident. And justice disparities exist.

And as public servants, we are in positions to do something about it. Our responsibility is to have a positive impact on our community. We need to look at how we learn from this moment and turn it into an opportunity to create a better, more just world.

Hours after vandals struck La Mesa this weekend, a much bigger mob descended – with brooms, buckets and paint rollers. Cleaning away ingrained biases and disparities will take much more effort than sweeping up broken glass. But we can, we must, harness that same spirit of coming together to right wrongs and direct it toward making sure our vision of healthy, safe and thriving reaches ALL San Diegans.

Together, we can do this. We must do this.