We at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation Stand with the Victims of White Supremacy and Hate Crimes
Today, and every day, we at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation hold space in our hearts for the victims of white supremacist violence. We mourn the lives of the victims of the anti-Black mass shooting at a Tops Supermarket in Buffalo. We mourn the life lost and wish healing for the survivors of the mass shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Southern California. We are outraged alongside the victims of the anti-Asian shooting at Hair World Salon in Dallas. Every instance of white supremacist violence not only results in the immeasurable loss of the victims’ lives, but it also sends a clear message: we are not safe. Not in grocery stores, not in churches, not in hair salons. Not in nightclubs or at retail stores. Not in schools.
Grappling with this reality is present for all of us and even more so for Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latinx, Disabled, and LGBTQ + communities. It can be hard to find hope in the midst of it all. And we are constantly reminded that “our freedoms and liberation transcend lines of difference and geographies.”
“We stand in our commitment to work alongside others who believe in teaching the truth of our past and present, who are unequivocal about naming violence, white supremacy, and racism for what they are, who support a public education system rooted in safety, justice, and love.”
The violence of white supremacy, anti-Blackness, and anti-Asian racism is not new, even if it is now more visible to some members of the population. This same violence is rooted in a form of education, indoctrination, and beliefs that promote hate, division, and oppression. We stand in our commitment to work alongside others who believe in teaching the truth of our past and present, who are unequivocal about naming violence, white supremacy, and racism for what they are, who support a public education system rooted in safety, justice, and love. Fighting for quality, liberatory, just, and equitable education necessitates that we fight against white supremacy, anti-Blackness, anti-Asian racism, and all forms of oppression and violence.
As we take time to consider how we will continue using our privilege as a Foundation to dismantle the structures of white supremacy, racism and violence that threaten the very communities and mission we support, we encourage others to do the same. We are grateful to those who are modeling the way towards a better and thriving future. May we find solidarity and healing in community as we mourn and continue to fight back against violence rooted in white supremacy.
Resources for Healing and Care
Emergent Healing | School for The Great Turning (teachable.com)
