Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed a commission to make recommendations for dealing with the social and racial justice issues raised by the killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson. Nixon unveiled the 16-member panel on Tuesday.

Gov. Jay Nixon: “Let us heal the divisions exposed by the death of Michael Brown and use this defining moment as the moment we begin to walk a different path. While they are clearly a diverse group, they are united by the shared passion to promote understanding, to hasten healing, to ensure equal opportunities and education and employment, and to safeguard the civil rights of all of our citizens.”

The move comes just one day after Nixon declared a state of emergency in Missouri ahead of the grand jury’s pending decision on whether to indict the officer who killed Brown, Darren Wilson.