To the Saint George’s Community—

We believe .

Like the rest of the nation, we have been saddened by the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, , and many more. People of color in our community are hurting, and their allies may find it difficult to know what to do. We believe that there is power in every voice, but also power in silence. We agree with Archbishop Desmond Tutu that “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

Being a good ally means using your privilege to amplify voices in the black community. People of color have been living with police brutality for hundreds of years, and racism is not new to them. We have a lot to learn from these voices.

In the future, the Diversity Club will be working on:

--bringing in more speakers to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion

--conducting discussions on what it means to be a good ally

--pressing for George Lee and other potential speakers to return for additional conversations with students, teachers, and parents

--raising awareness around community events around racial justice

--advocating for diversity in hiring at Saint George’s

--educating community members about outreach opportunities and resources.

The Diversity Club compiled the list of resources below. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and is a starting point for people looking for ways to get involved. We hope that you’ll research the organizations below and consult the readings in order to become a better ally against racism and injustice in our country and community.

Signed,

SGS DIVERSITY CLUB

Places to donate/Take Action:

Campaign Zero: This organization’s goal is to help bring an end to people being killed by the police. Their website contains a significant number of academic studies and also proposed solutions, including “8 Can’t Wait,” which has proven to reduce both danger to police officers and the number of people killed.

The Bail Project: This organization assists people who cannot afford bail. You can give to the national project or designate funds for the local office in Spokane.

Black Lives Matter: A movement that seeks “freedom, liberation, and justice.” You can support the organization or visit the website to learn about race and the work the organization is pursuing.

Local Organizations:

Mutual Aid Spokane County: Recently created in the midst of the COVID pandemic, its goal is to food, financial assistance, help getting prescriptions, and more. It prioritizes the “sick, disabled, quarantined without pay, elderly, undocumented, queer, black, indigenous, and/or people of color.” It is associated with the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, which sponsors a number of charitable organizations in the Spokane area.

Peace & Justice Action League of Spokane: An organization in Spokane that seeks “to build a just and nonviolent world.” You can find details about steps to take, protests in Spokane, and more.

Spokane NAACP: The Spokane branch of the national organization, which “envision[s] a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.”

Education:

James Baldwin interview with Esquire, 1968. In this interview Baldwin discusses the riots of the 1960s, including what they mean and how to prevent them.

Pod Save the People A podcast by Deray McKesson, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Clint Smith, and Sam Sinyagwe. The podcast “offers[s] a unique take on the news, with a special focus on overlooked stories and topics that often impact people of color.”

Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me. A book that takes the form of a letter written by Coates to his son. It discusses the experience of being black in the United States. Winner of the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2015.

Clint Smith, The Danger of Silence. Smith discusses his experience of remaining silent in the face of injustice.

Read about what it means to be an ally and an accomplice in the fight for racial justice in these articles from Willie Jackson and Michelle Kim.