To our Community,
We are now in the second week of nationwide protests speaking out against the tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other black lives lost at the hands of racial violence. We are ill-equipped as a society to process the anger and anguish that we feel when we bear witness to murder in the street. We are not taught as a society to see and dismantle white supremacy and racism in all of its forms. Without justice, healing, and transformation, we will remain trapped in the same cycle of racial violence. Yet leaders in Black communities, as well as other communities of color, have told us for centuries that there is another way forward. Have we been listening?
At Two Coyotes Wilderness School, we are listening and stand in solidarity with Black communities who are calling for swift justice in the form of immediate action and long-lasting change. We re-commit as an organization to our equity goals, including the following actions that speak to this moment in history:
– Breaking white silence by speaking out publicly when the lives and rights of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) people are threatened.
– Rewriting our mission and vision to explicitly include anti-racism and social justice.
– Supporting youth to become the new generation of activists who can lead us forward.
– Hiring BIPOC leaders and facilitators to evolve our programming and curriculum in line with an updated mission and vision.
– Listening to and starting a dialogue with BIPOC people when they call us out on our racism and privilege.
– Listening to and starting a dialogue with BIPOC families when they tell us about the experience of their children in our programs, or why they haven’t participated.
– Directing Two Coyotes’ staff and financial resources in support of BIPOC-led initiatives that are making Connecticut a safer and more just place for future generations.
– Supporting staff and board members at Two Coyotes to further their own personal path towards anti-racism and peace.
Here are a few ways you can make meaningful change too:
– Vote.
– Educate yourself: Scaffolded Anti-Racism Resources and Opportunities for White People in the Fight for Racial Justice
– Talk to your kids: Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race
– Act: Resources for Action and Accountability for Black Lives
– Advocate in your community: An Advocacy Toolkit For Fair, Safe, and Effective Community Policing and 8 Can’t Wait
– Donate to organizations on the front lines in Connecticut:
In solidarity,
Two Coyotes Wilderness School
June 4, 2020
