We stand strong in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and in opposition to all forms of hatred, injustice, and oppression.
We realize there is work to be done, and this is both a sprint AND a marathon. There are significant actions that must be taken right here, right now, today; beginning with an urgent need to address police violence against Black, Indigenous and People of Color.
And we need be in it tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. We need to think long-term, sustain the momentum, and fight for the kind of large-scale structural changes that will be required to create a truly equitable society.
We acknowledge that institutional and systemic racism are intricately woven into every aspect of our lives, and have been from the moment the first Europeans crossed the Atlantic. We can see it playing out everywhere; in housing, healthcare, education, and income and wealth disparities. It is alive and well in the over-policing of Black communities, racial profiling and the hyper-criminalization of Black people, the pipeline to prison, and mass incarceration. It is part of the very air we breathe.
We acknowledge that silence is complicity, and that not to speak out is to tacitly condone the status quo.
We commit to action. We have identified 10+ action items we commit to start, or continue doing, both individually and collectively.
- Educate ourselves. Read, watch, listen and learn.
- Donate money. Donate to a local, Black-led activist organization.
- Donate books. Donate copies of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi (a young adult book), and Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi (a new board book) to the local YWCA for their early childhood, middle-school, teen program.
- Sign petitions. Sign petition in direct support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and in support of politicians who speak out about equity and social justice.
- Seek additional outlets for our Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression program. We are kicking off our first cohort in July and will continue to seek opportunities to bring this work to the world.
- Provide pro-bono coaching and team building services. Offer pro-bono coaching, leadership development and team building services for individuals and organizations actively engaged in Anti-Racism work.
- Join the conversation. Participate in a 28-week circle conversation with other white people using Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad as a framework.
- Adopt a state. Give time and energy to help facilitate a change in Washington come November. Go to Vote Save America for more information.
- Support friends and family who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Be there when our support is needed or requested. Step back when it is not.
- Speak up and speak out. Seek out opportunities to speak up and speak out while being thoughtful about how we use our privilege. Avoid staying silent (even when it gets uncomfortable), to protect our self-interest. Strive to amplify the voices of Black, Indigenous and People of Color.
- Stay in it for the long haul.
This is a call to action. The time is now. If you haven’t yet done it, we challenge each of you to ask yourself how you will engage at this critical moment in history, and create your own list. What will you commit to today? What will you do to maintain and sustain?
Do it for the sake of your friends, and family, and your community. Do it for the sake of your children, and your children’s children, and the generations yet to come that will inherit a world grounded in peace, justice, and the right of every human to live a full, rich, and self-actualized life.
And do share your list in the comments section below!
In Solidarity,
Gina Paigen
Founder and Chief Impact Officer
ThirdWay Leadership
