Solidarity, Support and Love
The following letter went out to Annie Wright parents, students, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni on June 2.
Dear Annie Wright Community,
The killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor, and countless other victims of racist oppression, mostly black men, speaks to systemic persecution, implicit bias and lack of accountability. Annie Wright Schools cannot remain silent. We know that black members of our community are hurting, and have been for a long time; please know that we stand together in solidarity.
Dear Annie Wright Community,
The killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor, and countless other victims of racist oppression, mostly black men, speaks to systemic persecution, implicit bias and lack of accountability. Annie Wright Schools cannot remain silent. We know that black members of our community are hurting, and have been for a long time; please know that we stand together in solidarity.
We have struggled about how to put the words together to discuss events of this past week. We struggle because, while we believe that it is incumbent on Annie Wright to voice support for our entire community, and our black community specifically, and to defend our values of equity and inclusion, we want to avoid platitudes.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are central to Annie Wright’s mission and strategic plan, and as an educational institution, it is our duty to help nurture our community to avoid complacency and actively seek justice. Our community has done much DEI work and needs to do much more. To start, as educators and parents, we need to speak to our students about race and racism, even when these conversations are uncomfortable or painful. To that end, see below for some specific steps and resources that may support you and your family.
The vicious murder of George Floyd is a devastating reminder of the institutionalized racism in society at large, and the polarization in our country. Yet we must believe in the future. As a school, we must work with our students, graduates and strong community to be more actively engaged in combatting racism and championing equity. We are committed to this work, and we are here for our black community in solidarity, support and love.
Warmly,
Christian Sullivan, Head of Schools
Jake Guadnola, Head-Elect (July 1, 2020)
Suggested resources for talking to kids about race and racism
- Center for Racial Justice: Resources for talking about race, racism, and racialized violence with kids
- Red Tricycle: How to Educate Your Children on Riots & Protests
- USA Today: George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. What do we tell our children?
- King5: How we talk to our kids about race, racism, and identity
- Common Sense Media: Webinar: Helping Kids Process Violence, Trauma, and Race in a World of Nonstop News
- Teaching Tolerance: Beyond the Golden Rule and Talking about Race and Racism
- Racecounscious.org: Raising Race Conscious Children
- New York Times: Race/Related Weekly Newsletter
- Common Sense Media: How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids
Community Forums for Students & Faculty
- For Upper School for Boys students: Wednesday, June 3, at 5:00 pm
- For Upper School for Girls students: Wednesday, June 3, at 7:00 pm
- For Faculty & Staff: Thursday, June 4, at 7:00 pm
