Black Lives Matter
To my community:
I am writing you with a heavy heart. The words of civil rights leader Ella Baker are ringing in my ears:
"Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's son, we who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens.”
She said these words more than half a century ago, but tragically they are still relevant today.
To Black and Brown members of the Realize Change community: I see your pain and anguish, your courage, resilience, and resistance. I know that you are doing more than your share to carry this heavy load. And I'm renewing my commitment to show up as an ally not just on days like today, but every day.
To White and other members of this community: we are each on a journey of growth in terms of reckoning with the privileges we experience in society and dedicating ourselves to undoing racism. I have gathered resource lists from friends about ways to show up as anti-racist allies. Please take a look at these resources and choose something you can commit to.
Because it's easy to get overwhelmed, I'll leave you with this ancient Jewish teaching: "It's not up to you to finish the work, but you're not free to desist from it."
If you have resources to share, please send them along and we can build out this list.
May we work together to uproot racism and build a more just and compassionate society.
— Sarah