Anti-Racism Resources
Program Statement
Our hearts are heavy, and we are outraged by the brutal murders of Atatiana Jefferson, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and many others. We know that these are only the most recent incidents of violence perpetrated by a system of white supremacy, and that the murdering of Black lives has been in existence for hundreds of years. We recognize that racism and oppression exist not only in our community but across the country. The Center for Survivors is committed to the fight against violence and racism in our community, and we support and stand in solidarity with the Black community and the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Violence against Black and Brown communities is not new, nor is the racial crisis episodic. Racism is a structural issue and is deeply entrenched within our society. When these acts of violence occur, there is no justice or accountability. We recognize that all forms of oppression are connect, and that this tragedy comes amid a pandemic that has disproportionately affected the Black community both diagnoses and deaths.
For 50 years our program has been standing with survivors of sexual violence to fight systems of oppression, systemic racism, discrimination, and inequity. We know it is our duty to stand with the Black community to fight against systems of racial injustice and oppression, and to demand a system that protects Black bodies made vulnerable by racism. Our work with survivors of sexual assault cannot be disentangled from anti-racism work. We must seek justice against all forms of oppression.
We have heard the call and acknowledge its legitimacy and immediacy. We will continue to support the Black community and Black-led social justice organizations. We also understand that it is not the responsibility of the Black community to educate or prompt us to fight for racial justice, but we must take initiative to find what is that we can do to be effective in fighting fiercely for racial justice with them.
As we find our role in this, we en courage you to do the same. We must look deep within ourselves, our organization, and our community and recognize our role in the systematic oppression of people of color. This starts by examining ourselves and our own privilege.
As a program within an institution of higher learning, we pledge to:
- Demand that all officers involved in the murder of George Floyd be held fully accountable
- Continue to push for and support calls form the Black community for criminal justice reform
- Demand transparency and accountability from law enforcement agencies and university administration
- Invest in training our staff on implicit bias, cultural competency, and anti-racism
- Use our resources to emotionally care for survivors and our staff suffering collective trauma from the murder of Black lives at the hands of police
- Continue having conversations among our staff and community partners on how we can support the fight toward racial justice