“The humanity of all Americans is diminished when any group is denied rights granted to others.”

—Julian Bond

As we watch heartbreak unfold across the country, Citizen Schools stands with our communities, our staff and service members, students and families to honor the memories of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and all of those whose lives have been lost to senseless acts of racism and police violence.  We denounce, in the strongest possible terms, the institutional racism ripping our nation apart, and declare, with pride, that Black Lives Matter. 

What we have witnessed over the last week has been a tragic reminder that we still, 160 years after the Civil War, continue to define our world through the lens of race. In 2015, the great Civil Rights activist Julian Bond remarked that “America is race. From its symbolism to its substance, from its founding by slaveholders to its rending by the Civil War ... from Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin and to Michael Brown."  We have seen that pattern persist and even intensify over the last five years. And it hurts.  It hurts to see a country value the lives of its citizens differently. It hurts to see how privilege perpetuates this vicious cycle. As we see our children internalize that rules are applied differently in matters of race, we are called to recognize our role in upholding these systems. And we are called to go deeper in our work.

At Citizen Schools, we have spent the last 25 years offering students in our majority black and brown communities the opportunities to engage in the kind of learning that engenders excitement, stokes passion, and builds relationships across lines of difference. Our goal has been to help students, in their identity formation years, see the world of possibility that lies ahead and to build the skills to emerge as leaders of their generation. And our service members and volunteer mentors provide the love, support, and coaching they deserve on their journey. But how can we expect our students to develop into leaders if they are trapped in systems marred by racism?  If some of their leaders can’t model empathy? If their communities voices are constantly muted? The distressing answer is that we can’t — unless we are willing to change the status quo.

Everyone has the time and ability to take action in service of humanity — though not everyone’s action needs to look the same. While some Americans have engaged in protests to speak truth on behalf of those who have been silenced, others are seeking different ways to raise their voices, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many ways for you to get involved and channel your fatigue, heartbreak, or anger into solidarity with and support of black and brown communities who have lived too long under the shadow of racism. 

At Citizen Schools, we are committed to supporting our staff, who in turn support our students and families, during and through this moment.  Specifically, we are:

1. Holding space for all teams to engage in restorative justice circles and conversations about racism, implicit bias and white supremacy.

2. Offering our staff and service members time away, as needed, to engage in reflection and action.

3. Sharing resources with our staff and service members to guide conversations with their students and to create a safe space for inquiry and discussion. 

We are committed to continuing this support as we work towards a new vision of equity and dignity for all people in this country. 

Sending love and light,

Emily McCann
CEO, Citizen Schools