Sonya Massey: Say Her Name
We write you today with deep sorrow, anger, and heartbreak over the tragic death of Sonya Massey. Sonya was a Black woman in clear mental health distress who called law enforcement for help, only to be fatally shot by one of the officers entrusted to assist her. Our hearts break for Ms. Massey, her family, and for every person experiencing the entrenched scourge of racial discrimination in our society. Our hearts break for those experiencing mental health crises who fear how they will be treated in times of need.
It is an undeniable injustice that Black people in crisis are killed by police at a disproportionate rate when they call 911, compared to their white counterparts. We cannot allow this to continue.
As an organization that understands clinical intervention, we know what investments are needed because we advocate for it every day: Preventive care; equity between mental health care and other healthcare; street outreach to those experiencing homelessness or substance use conditions to enable a pathway into supportive services; safe, affordable housing; harm reduction services; integrated behavioral health and medical care; readily available crisis care by mental health professionals; and a strong 988 mental health crisis response system for people calling for help, like Sonya Massey.
Our determination, hope, and fierce commitment are the driving force in our life-long fight for racial equity, and for building the right societal investments to support the mental health needs of everyone in crisis and long before a crisis happens, particularly in Black communities where divestment has been the norm for generations.
We also know that effective crisis response requires collaboration. Our Crisis Intervention Team training prepares law enforcement officers to de-escalate situations and connect individuals in crisis with the support they need. Law enforcement plays a crucial role to aid our members and Thresholds is a proud partner with that agency. However, we must – we absolutely must – continue to address the deep, corrosive discrimination within a small fraction of the law enforcement personnel that are harmful to our communities.
We will not rest, and we will not stop fighting for what is right, fair, and humane. Together, we can make a difference.