Our mission, briefly stated, is to Remember, acknowledge, and reflect upon our history of racial terror by partnering with the Equal Justice Initiative to recognize victims of lynching in our county, Volusia County, Florida. Our goals emphasize three points: Honor (remember lynching victims and celebrate Civil Rights victories), Educate (explore our divided past and chart a united future), and Reconcile (cultivate healing and reconciliation).
Each of these words presents challenges. Reconciliation, for instance, requires all of us to confront a painful past. Black members must recall, again, the indignities they have faced and the violence their ancestors have faced. White members must understand that apologizing for past racial terror is only a first step toward healing in the present and for the future.