YWCA Columbus joins marginalized communities and people of color to grieve the unjust death of Irvo Otieno:

As more horrifying details emerge from Virginia following the death of Irvo N. Otieno, YWCA Columbus mourns the untimely and unjust death of another young Black man in this country and joins his family in calling for a thorough investigation into the incidents leading up to his death.

Black people and other people of color have long suffered from health disparities in the United States, and racism remains deeply embedded in all of our institutions, including the healthcare industry. Until all people can access the care they need and trust these institutions with their lives, none of us are free. We must confront the racialized violence and complicity that led to the killing of a young man in crisis. We must educate, engage, and empower people to enact social change. We must dismantle the systems that uphold white supremacy — until justice just is.