The Community Foundation of Howard County, the Horizon Foundation, the United Way of Central Maryland and the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County jointly condemn the acts of violence perpetrated on our United States Capitol and our elected leaders on January 6 in a deliberate attempt to disrupt the certification of a fair and democratic election. This attack on the peaceful transition of democratic power – which is so core to our principles as a nation – is an affront to us all.

It could not be clearer in those moments how firmly engrained white supremacy is in all the structures of our nation. The response from law enforcement at the Capitol was unrecognizable from the over-policing that occurs in many of the communities we serve and represent. The upswell of white supremacists came from across our country and from nearly every community. We at Maryland Philanthropy Network stand with our colleagues and leaders across the country in calling for change. Our communities and our future depend on it.