John,

Our country is at a moment of reckoning that I, honestly, didn’t think was
possible in my lifetime. The murder of George Floyd, after the murder of
Breonna Taylor, after the murder of Tony McDade, in the midst of a
pandemic that kills Black and Brown people at twice the rate of white
people, has reflected in stark reality an inequitable system affecting all
aspects of our lives.

As a white woman and brand new Executive Director for our community, I
have been spending the past week doing some hard work: my own reckoning
with the ways I have failed to be a co-conspirator with anti-racist
movements; an organizational reckoning with a fierce and courageous team
to identify and change the racism of our internal practices and policies;
and a vow to amplify the work that staff of color have been doing for
years. This is a moment of recommitment to running campaigns with all of
us that are core to our mission -- people over profit -- but also those
that create a world where communities of color aren’t under attack, and we
can all thrive.

Personally, I have been doing a lot of listening. I’ve also been talking
with colleagues and friends, learning and asking questions, reading, and
re-reading, including the powerful and essential work [ [link removed] ]How to be an
Anti-Racist by Ibram X Kendi. I have been giving the resources I can to
the organizations doing the long and hard work of system change in the US
such as the collection of essential groups behind the [ [link removed] ]Black Trans
Protestors Emergency Fund.

This is work that will only happen if we do it together. We are a massive,
global community that knows we have the power to change the world. And it
doesn’t matter where each of us is on our journey with racism and
oppression. If you believe that everyone has the right to live, breathe,
and walk down the street, this space is for you. Taking action, donating,
and supporting this movement today shouldn’t be the end of our
action-taking, it should be the start. This will continue far beyond the
protests and the newspaper headlines they generate.

To help me and our community, I’d love to know about the resources and
readings that are bringing you pause or hope or learning during these
times. You can email me at [ mailto:[email protected] ][email protected] so we can continue to learn
and grow together.

Sending strength and hope,
Emma


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