It has been brought to my attention by respected friends and colleagues throughout the professional sports community that comments have been made by Yvonne Doughtie regarding my hometown and, more specifically, the African American community.

It truly saddens me to hear someone with a voice and a platform speak so negatively about a city that I love and hold so close to my heart, as well as a community that has contributed so much to it.

We all know our city has challenges, and we all wish it were in a better position. However, those challenges are not the fault of any one race or group of people. Moving our city forward will require a collective effort from the entire community — Black, White, and every ethnicity and background represented in our hometown.

I have made it a personal mission to be part of the positive movement to rebuild our city, create opportunities, restore pride, and change the narrative surrounding our hometown. When so many people are working to take one step forward, comments that divide us can easily take us 10 steps backward.

Instead of tearing down our city or singling out a particular community, let’s focus on the good, address our problems together, and work toward solutions. Before judging or speaking down on others, we should all remember that none of us is perfect.

I want to see everyone win — every race, every neighborhood, every family, and every generation. Progress comes from unity, not division.

Let’s continue building, uplifting, and working together to create the hometown we all know it can be.

George Arrington