Dear Eagle Rock Community,
Once again, we are angry, saddened, and fiercely determined. Yesterday’s egregious acts in our Nation’s Capitol are part of a predictable pattern of backlash and violence in response to anti-racist and social justice victories. This attempt to disrupt the certification of the Electoral College vote confirming Joe Biden as President-Elect and Kamala Harris as Vice President-Elect was reprehensible. It undermines democracy and upholds racism and other systems of oppression.
While this is disturbing on many levels, the reactions to these events are particularly triggering when set in contrast to the unjust heavy use of police force against the overwhelmingly peaceful BLM protests this summer. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about being “caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” We are all affected, but not equally. Those of us who are members of our BIPOC community have been holding this historic burden, often alone, for far too long. For those of you filled with pain, anger, and hurt, we are sending you love and light. Today, we stand together in calling for justice and building a world aligned with our values of democratic governance and leadership for justice.
As a community we’ve learned from Ibram X. Kendi that there is no neutral; we either act as racists or antiracists. Together, we read Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You this fall. In that book, Jason Reynolds said, “We have to be more than audience members sitting comfortably in the stands of morality, shouting, ‘WRONG!’ That’s too easy. Instead, we must be players on the field, on the court, in our classrooms and communities, trying to do right. Because it takes a whole hand–both hands–to grab hold of hatred. Not just a texting thumb and a scrolling index finger.”
Our organizational priority of diversity, equity, and inclusion is a compass that helps us navigate to our true north. We are not naive to the fact that we are a divided nation and we need to rebuild. This tragedy and threat to democracy goes against everything we stand for. Just as we have done in the past, we stand together to denounce this violence that is unquestionably wrong.
Eagle Rock School is committed to fighting injustice through education, advocacy, and building relationships in beloved community. We stand united in love and an uncompromised commitment to justice.
Living in respectful harmony means we cannot be silent.
Living in respectful harmony means telling the truth about racist violence.
Living in respectful harmony means healing and supporting each other.
Living in respectful harmony means fighting for justice for all.
Living in respectful harmony means Black Lives Matter.
Love, Light, Leadership, Power, and Freedom, Eagle Rock
