Responses to noose found at Obama Presidential construction site

Bishop Tavis Grant: “Build we must!”

“The Obama Center is an emblem of excellence and the resilience we have as a country and as a people,” said Bishop Tavis Grant, national acting executive director for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

In responding to a noose found at the Obama Presidential Construction site, Bishop Grant said, “The person and or persons responsible must be reminded that we have seen this before and this will neither break our focus nor our spirit. Build we must!

“This past midterm election taught us we will not be suppressed, distracted, or intimidated. The Obama Center must carry on without delay. It’s not just building the center; it’s building the character of our communities and our country.

“We must rise above the darkness of the symbols of fear and reach for the rung of what we can be,” said Bishop Grant.

Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive, international organization that was formed in December 1996 by the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. through merging of two organizations he founded Operation PUSH People United to Serve Humanity (estab. 1971) and the Rainbow Coalition (estab. 1984). With headquarters in Chicago and offices in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and Oakland, the organization works to make the American Dream a reality for all citizens while advocating for peace and justice around the world. RPC is dedicated to improving the lives of all people by serving as a voice for the voiceless. Its mission is to protect, defend and gain civil rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields while promoting peace and justice around the world.

Statement from Lakeside Alliance

On November 10, 2022, Lakeside Alliance, builders of the Obama Presidential Center, released the following statement in response to a noose being discovered at the project site:

“This morning we were informed that an act of hate was discovered at the project site. We reported the incident to the police and will provide any assistance required to identify those responsible.

We have zero tolerance for any form of bias or hate on our worksite. Anti-bias training is included in our onboarding process and reiterated during site-wide meetings. We are suspending all operations onsite in order to provide another series of these trainings and conversations for all staff and workers.

We are horrified that this would occur on our site and are offering a $100,000 reward to help find the individual or individuals responsible for this shameful act. Lakeside Alliance remains committed to providing a work environment where everyone can feel safe, be their best self, and is treated with dignity and respect.”

Statement from the Obama Foundation

Today, the Obama Foundation released the following statement in response to a noose being discovered at the project site:

“This shameless act of cowardice and hate is designed to get attention and divide us. Our priority is protecting the health and safety of our workforce. We have notified authorities who are investigating the incident.”