“We must remember that it is through bringing our communities together that we find healing, and through communication and shared understanding that we forge real change.”
—Rev. Samuel Rodriguez

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and senior pastor of New Seasons Christian Worship Center in Sacramento, CA, issues the following statement:

“Today, our city, the state of California, and the entire country mourned the police-involved shooting death of Stephon Clarke, which tragically took place here in my own hometown of Sacramento, CA. While I love this city, and have chosen to raise my own family here, events like these force us all to look deep within ourselves and our communities, realizing the truth that there is still so much work to be done before justice is the reality for all of our citizens, all of the time. My prayers are with, and indeed my heart breaks for the Clark family, especially his children who are left without a father, for his friends and loved ones, and for the entire Sacramento community, which has lost one of its sons.

While emotions are understandably running high, and while tough questions are rightly being asked, we must also continue to urge peace and unity. We must remember that it is through bringing our communities together that we find healing, and through communication and shared understanding that we forge real change. Let us lean on one another, on our highest ideals, and on the common bonds of faith, family, and community in these times, doing all we can together to ensure that Stephon Clark’s memory is not in vain.”

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, executive producer of The Impossible with 20th Century Fox, and bestselling author of “Be Light.” He has been named by CNN and Fox News as “the leader of the Hispanic Evangelical movement” and TIME Magazine nominated him among the 100 most influential leaders in America.

The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference is recognized and identified by Time Magazine, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, Charisma Magazine, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, Fox News, CNN, and a number of additional media outlets, publications, and periodicals as America’s largest and most influential Hispanic/Latino Christian organization with 40,118 certified member churches in the United States and chapters in Latin America.