Statement on Hate Crime Massacre in Charleston, South Carolina

La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

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Jun 19, 2015, 08:54 ET

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., June 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On June 17th the nation bore witness to yet another senseless, violence-filled tragedy that took the lives of nine worshipers as they studied in prayer. We grieve alongside the victims' families, the congregation of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and the broader Charleston community.

It is with a combination of sorrow and sympathy that we face this moment of pain and suffering. Centuries of legal and enforced racial hierarchy have left each and every one of us in need of the tools and opportunities to heal and overcome embedded biases and divisions. We must work together to eliminate the policies, practices, actions and narratives that fuel racism and acts of hatred, and instead, work together to create a culture that respects the oneness of humanity.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation stands strongly with the people of Charleston and around the world to condemn this violence. We stand in solidarity with the many civil rights and other organizations that are working toward greater understanding and justice for all.

In Charleston and in this nation – healing can and must happen. It is absolutely essential for the future of our nation and for the well-being of our children, families and communities.

SOURCE W.K. Kellogg Foundation