The Interfaith Ministerial Alliance (IMA) invited the Key West community to join them as they take action against oppression and racism.

The IMA promised a 12-month mission to do better and to provide continual and different avenues for the the community to hear and learn about the issues surrounding racism, the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea reported on its Facebook page. The Key West Catholic church is a member of the IMA. 

"We do not say we have the answers," the Interfaith Ministerial Alliance said, St. Mary Star of the Sea reported, "but we do promise we have the faith that working together without barriers of age, gender, race, national origin, ability, or any other artificial division of humanity we can do better than we have done so far in being one human family."

Their statement comes in response to George Floyd's death which sparked outrage leading to protests and calls for police reform across the country.  Floyd, a Black man, died after a white police officer held his knee to Floyd's neck for several minutes. The alliance said it appears some members of society who take an oath to protect and serve seem to have forgotten one commandment, 'love your neighbor as yourself.'

The alliance said right now people need to put in the effort to make changes, and replace the current system with one that includes everyone no matter the color of their skin or their background,St. Mary Star of the Sea reported. The IMA has called on people to try to understand and overcome patterns of supremacy among Caucasian people and work alongside people of color to construct an equal future together. They've also asked people to pray for those looking for the knowledge to point our culture into a more inclusive direction.

The IMA said it's also time to struggle with those who aren't satisfied with the way things are or have been in the past, and "who dream of what might be as we strive for heaven on earth," the church reported on its Facebook page.