But all our phrasing—race relations, racial chasm, racial justice, racial profiling, white privilege, even white supremacy—serves to obscure that racism is a visceral experience, that it dislodges brains, blocks airways, rips muscle, extracts organs, cracks bones, breaks teeth. You must never look away from this. You must always remember that the sociology, the history, the economics, the graphs, the charts, the regressions all land, with great violence, upon the body.”
Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me
Confronting the actual truth is not easy or pleasant, but so very important for us to work for change. Saying we are sickened, or sad or filled with rage is not enough. It is imperative that we, as a community of learners, find ways to educate ourselves and our students to better understand the racial divide and see clearly the racist policies currently in place. We must listen (really listen) to the black perspective. We need to come together and find a way to take positive actions to eliminate the passive acceptance of the abuse and mistreatment of black people in America. Change does not happen quickly nor is it ever accepted by everyone, but we cannot continue to stay silent. We can be brave, stand together, and commit ourselves to do better.
Linda Roth
Executive Director