From our Friends at The People Place
As with other material here in the NewStories Anti-Racism Resource Center, we are lifting up the work done by others who have a deeper and longer analysis than we do. We are giving you what they have said. Please read it throughly and find your way into the resources they offer through their context.
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Like you, I was outraged when I learned another unarmed black man had been killed by a white police officer. Someone entrusted to keep George Floyd safe had killed him in cold blood, in broad daylight, with seemingly callous indifference. Like you, I won’t forget the image of Derek Chauvin’s knee on George’s neck, George’s gasps for breath and his cries for his mama.
While I have been horrified these past few weeks, I have also felt inspired by the hundreds of thousands of (mainly young) Americans who have taken to the streets to peacefully demand justice for George and a more just society, and the tens of millions more who have expressed support and taken action in other ways. (We’ve compiled just a few of the most inspiring moments of the past two weeks on our website).
Racism and xenophobia are not new. And yet, this time, something feels different. We seem to have crossed a tipping point, one where enough of us, of all colors, nationalities, religions, occupations, and even political parties are saying, “ENOUGH. We will NOT let this continue to happen. We will do what is needed to transform this country and become a model of justice for our children and for the world.”
Now is a time of openness, focus, and newfound commitment, a unique time to facilitate conversations and take actions that can help our organizations and our country improve. Like so many, you might be thinking, “What more can I do to help?”
At The People Piece, our focus is on creating better and more human workplaces, ones where all people are heard, included, and treated with dignity and respect. In order to support workplace efforts for healing and justice, we are committing the resources of our facilitators with expertise in the diversity, inclusion, and meaningful conversation spaces to support people like you to build a more just workplace and just society. Click here to learn more about how we can help you take action at your workplace.
We’ve also taken the time to curate a dozen resources to support you on your continuing journey of educating yourself and your colleagues, and taking action to improve and transform your organization. You can visit our website to access these resources and share them with your colleagues.
Lastly, we encourage you to visit sites including Black Lives Matter, NAACP, and others, to learn from the experiences, perspectives, ideas, and demands of black people.
Thank you for opening your hearts to this message. Together, we can make our world and our workplaces more just, more inclusive, and more human.
Roni and The People Piece team
