We Stand with You, Our Members

Posted: June 8, 2020

Dear Member,

For the past several months we have been battling a Pandemic that has driven us towards isolation, as well as jeopardizing our health and our economic well-being. There has been anger and frustration over this Pandemic and the impact that it has had on us all.

Yet, there is a bigger battle that we have been fighting for much longer than the recent Pandemic. Unfortunately, the fight against racism and for equality has too often been ignored or minimized by society. Our nation, our society, and our history have been plagued with eras of oppression, violence, and inequality for those of minority color, race, and beliefs.

The recent tragedies of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have caused our nation to once again focus on this fight against racism. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of Taylor, Floyd, and the countless other families who have been impacted by racism and violence in this country. I recognize our First Responders – medical staff, police, fire and EMT, and military personnel all have a difficult job to do and that they face danger every day while carrying out their duties. I appreciate and applaud those who take on this responsibility and carry out their duty responsibly and ethically. It is not acceptable, however, for the people that we rely on for safety and protection to cause harm to those they are meant to protect. We need to expect better, not just from these individuals but from everyone.

At DOLFCU, we embrace diversity and we celebrate it. We support the Black Lives Matter movement and all of the communities we exist to serve. As your not-for-profit financial cooperative, DOLFCU was founded with a social mission to provide affordable access to credit and other vital financial services for those who need it most. We mean it when we say that “Your Success is Our Success” and we will continue our efforts to promote financial inclusion.

As I write this, it has been 56 years and 284 days since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a dream” speech. We have been talking about eradicating racism for too long. We all must take action to expel this injustice from our society. I encourage you all to take a moment and reflect on your thoughts and actions and ask yourself how you can help eliminate systemic racism from our society. I encourage you to reach out to those who are different than you and find ways to build understanding or common ground. I encourage you to do one act of kindness each and every day.

Together we can win this battle against systemic racism, which may be even more threatening to the health of our nation and our economic well-being than the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Please stay safe, vigilant, and remember that we are here to serve you – our member-owners.

Sincerely,
Thomas Domingue
President/CEO