Update: we are Winning!
May 11, 2022
Fellow Freedom Fighters,
we are encouraged.
Our collective efforts to disrupt and dismantle systemic racism in education and beyond are working. Last week, over 200 North Carolina-based individuals and organizations stood in solidarity with we are, as we called out white supremacy in our community. Now a broader, global audience is rallying with us to align our movement energy, building bridges and not silos.
we are making progress.
There have been attacks against our educators and truth-telling curricula. We are seeing these attacks because people who don’t want change, see this progress as a threat to the status quo. Let our children learn!
we are must be doing something right to garner this kind of attention from state level politicians. More and more people are seeing themselves in this fight for justice, truth telling, and equity. The movement is being defended, even when we are not in the room.
While we are making progress, we need to be concerned. The livelihood of Black and Brown children is at stake. Racism harms our whole community. We can’t sit this one out.
Truth be told, power and justice are on our side.
we are victorious, locally and nationally.
There are places where books are not being banned. There are school systems modeling their commitment with the establishment of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professionals and truth-telling curricula.
Due to our victories all across this country, we are seeing increased pushback and anti-truth telling policies and legislation emerging in all types of localities - rural, urban, small and large. High-ranking politicians pushing to censor or limit education are doing so to win elections, and are not acting in the interest of parents or the youth in our communities.
You cannot have progress without opposition.
we are in good company.
Parents in our community want their children to attend schools where educators root their instruction in historical truth and the dignity of all people.
Teachers, students, parents, and community members want their schools to be ones that honor identities and respect the knowledge and experience of teachers.
Organizations nationwide are continuing to mobilize and work to disrupt the systems and policies that uphold white supremacy.
we are in this fight for the long haul.
Events and programs for children to learn about race, racism, its impact on communities, and how to actively resist racism in our communities will continue.
Creating and sharing curriculum and resources with courageous educators who understand, acknowledge, and respect the identities of all their students is our top priority.
Teachers will continue to be financially and personally supported in their efforts to ensure that our children are learning the truth and developing the knowledge and skills to reckon with our nation’s past.
we are going to continue sharing our stories.
Until our children and our children’s children are free from experiencing racial harm while in the classroom, we will continue to share our stories and hold racist, biased, and bigoted educators accountable.
we are working to extend anti-racist education.
We are holding our history, moving in the present, and striving towards a better future.
And we are winning.
In solidarity,
The we are Staff & Board Members
#LetOurChildrenLearn #TruthBeTold
PS. We are hoping you’ll join us in an act of solidarity by adding your name to this letter, sharing the letter with at least five people in your network, speaking up at school board meetings, contacting your local elected leaders, voting to fully fund our schools or supporting our work. Together, we can make this a country where every child has the freedom to learn, grow and thrive.