Click on the name at the end of an excerpt to read the full statement.
“We stand in solidarity against the historic racism and violence that has created so much suffering and pain for our black brothers and sisters. We see you, we hear you, we are with you.” Omar Carrera, Canal Alliance
“Racism Must End – It is no longer just COVID-19 bringing the pain of inequities to our awareness. It is the ugly reality of systemic and structural racism broadcast live and giving us witness to specific acts of brutality against Black people, like the murder of George Floyd, that has made the injustices in our society and in our own backyard reach what many of us see as a turning point. We cannot go back. Voice and action will create progress toward social justice.” Chandra Alexandre, Community Action Marin
“The events of the past week, the deaths of three black Americans at the hands of people entrusted to protect, remind us again of our long history of racial inequality, injustice and the struggle that black Americans, communities of color, have had to endure…It is … awareness of our responsibility to each other, our … contentedness, our collective vulnerability, that we must draw on as we take on this challenge … racism, inequality, the long-lived effects of policy, and law, and power … has roots deep in our community and continues to exhibit itself on the deeds of our homes, in the complexion of our neighborhoods, in the trajectory of our children through school and life…We are living in incredibly challenging times. Important times. If there was ever a time that we needed to come together … to stand up for what is right, to take on the challenges we face together – disease of the body, and disease of our society’s soul — it is now.” Supervisor Katie Rice, Marin County Board of Supervisors
“The fact that our African-American and Latinx communities have been hit the hardest highlights the deeply ingrained, racist systems at play in our country. Those systems are what make it possible for a young man to be shot dead by white civilians while jogging through his neighborhood, for a white woman to threaten a black man’s life by calling the police on him while he was birding in Central Park and for a police officer to kill a black man in his custody while others looked on.” Tara Taupier, TUHSD
“ I commit to moving from allyship to being anti-racist. … we name racism and equity with intentionality in our library work [and] will continue to ask the question – who does a decision or action benefit and who does it burden? We will put an equity lens on all that we do- and how we do it. MCFL will lean into this work. We commit to a deeper fulfillment of our mission to provide welcoming, equitable and inclusive opportunities for all to connect, learn and explore.” Sara Jones, Marin County Free Library
“Our three San Rafael City Schools core values are equity, community and joy. Equity is our moral imperative, our obligation and our responsibility. But for too long, many of us, including myself, have spoken the equity talk but clearly not walked the equity walk – at least not on a regular basis, not with real commitment, and not backed up with action. As a White male superintendent who has grown up with many advantages in my life, I have the benefit of having a powerful position of influence, and yet I have not spoken up often enough to combat, call out or challenge racism when I see it. Yes, I have read many equity books, attended numerous trainings and workshops and participated in equity walks in our schools. But while I dab my toe gingerly in the equity pool, sometimes deciding that the water is too cold, our students of color continue to fall behind their white peers academically, our students and teachers of color continue to feel isolated and not fully accepted in our schools, and resentment builds. Nothing really changes. Perhaps this is why the rage and indignation are so raw amongst our Black brothers and sisters: they have heard the promises of change too many times before and seen disappointment too many times.” Jim Hogeboom, SRCS
“Thousands of individuals in Marin County have been trained to know how to recognize bias in themselves and in others, and to know how to work toward eliminating bias with their voices. It is time for us to use the tools we have learned to take action.” Mary Jane Burke, MCOE
“We cannot long for a return to normal, we must long for change and justice … This requires us to speak up and take action, to actively dismantle structures of white supremacy and whiteness, to center race in all discussions of educational equity.” College of Marin Umoja
“ ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter’ Martin Luther King Jr.’ — We will continue to collaborate with other organizations and individuals to deliver a unified message, knowing that when we speak as one, only then can we put pressure on the policymakers and legislators to address the systemic change needed to heal our wounds and end this violence once and for all.” Kathy J. Williams, Bridge the Gap College Prep
“I recently realized that my previous actions have not been enough. Recent events have been a call to action for me. I am angered by the senseless death of George Floyd and those before him. I am disgusted by the systems that allow these actions to continue. I am saddened that some of our families live with fear, and I acknowledge negative experiences they may have had within our community. I want to further validate and honor them as vital members of our community, and I am committed to more accountability and positive change to our systems and organization.” Kris Cosca, NUSD
“West Marin Fund’s commitment to a just and thriving West Marin means we stand against the racism that has oppressed Black lives for centuries. We grieve the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless Black lives that have been taken due to police violence and unjust incarceration. We are committed to ending white silence and helping right the wrongs imposed by systemic racism.” West Marin Fund
“These days are so extraordinarily challenging for all of us because we realize, both intellectually and emotionally, that we must confront deep-seated issues not only in others, but in ourselves …Those of us who are white will need to … listen quietly, with humility and openness, to the voices of the Black community, helping us to dismantle and discard the mythology that has long covered over the grievous founding crimes of our country…Sorrow and pain, shame and fury. These feelings need to be acknowledged and lived through. Concurrently, we can and must turn toward deliberate action. We can turn toward choices that are life-affirming, justly reflecting the equal value of each and every person.” Dr. Tom Peters, Marin Community Foundation
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