Fellow LITA Members:
By now you are aware of the violence that occurred overnight in Dallas, Texas. Five police officers were killed and nine officers and civilians were wounded when a gunman opened fire during a peaceful protest about the recent deaths of black men at the hands of police in other cities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have had loved ones killed or injured, as well as to the residents of Dallas who will be facing a great deal of uncertainty in the coming days.
As you may know, LITA will hold its annual LITA Forum in Dallas’ sister city, Fort Worth, this November. LITA staff and leadership will monitor events in the Metroplex over the coming weeks and will stay in communication with our contacts at the Forum venue. We will pass along any LITA-related news or opportunities to support the community as they become available.
In the meantime, I would ask that you reach out to friends, family members, and colleagues who may be distressed by last night’s events. As we learned from the recent shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, you don’t have to be physically near to this kind of violence to be deeply affected by it. Often the most powerful thing we can do is to reach out with compassion to those who are hurting.
Be well. – Aimee
Aimee Fifarek, LITA President