Dear Friends,
Tomorrow marks Juneteenth, which commemorates when Union soldiers in Texas confirmed on June 19, 1865, that all enslaved Black people had been liberated—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Specifically, the order stated that "all slaves are free. This involves absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves." Still, many years of intimidation, Jim Crow laws, and public lynchings would follow, and it would take another century before President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Yet, history shows that many Black Americans have continued to face disproportionate and systemic discrimination and injustice.
The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and so many others underscore this fact: Black Americans are killed, even for minor infractions, much more often than white Americans and other racial groups. They were all Black lives cut short. They were all Black lives that mattered. It has been well-documented that, despite laws and policies and even public outcry, most Black Americans continue to be treated unequally. For many Black people, the promise of Juneteenth feels difficult to celebrate tomorrow.
This is not a Black problem; this is an American problem. Our country's history of racism affects all of us in some way, and at Wildwood, we are not immune. Our school was founded on the premise of equity and social justice. As we strive to uphold our Diversity Mission Statement, we must continually demonstrate how we cultivate "compassionate, effective change makers" by constantly refining and shaping our policies, practices, and culture. Those of other races must stand with our Black friends and colleagues as we seek to affect the real change we expect to make in the world.
So what are our next steps? As a community, we must commit to:
We are living in unprecedented times, when the world has more or less been halted by COVID-19—which has also disproportionately affected Black communities in the United States—and our country is engaged in civic activism around the intersection of racial injustice and police brutality. It is imperative now more than ever that we focus on our shared humanity. This is a time to come together, listen, learn, share in grief and in hope, and act for a more just, equitable, and racially conscious world, one where Juneteenth will once again feel like a day of celebration and hope for our Black community.
We remain committed to our work for racial justice and equity, and over the summer we will continue to update our resource page with more information and opportunities for activism.
One resource we've found particularly helpful was offered by employee spouse and Wildwood parent, Van Lai-DuMone. Turn Your Compassion Into Action is a guide of tips, ideas, and strategies for teens and adults to engage in this dialogue. Karen Dye Director of Equity and Inclusion Landis Green Head of School Wildwood School |