|
“If we are truly committed to the elimination of violence and making our communities safe for all, then we must recognize and acknowledge the ways in which racism and other forms of violence survive and thrive in our social and political institutions.” This declaration was printed in a 2015 article submitted by Women’s Services to the Meadville Tribune. We stand by that statement today as we re-commit ourselves and join others around the country who are coming together to make the case for ending policies and processes that perpetuate racism, intolerance, and discrimination against marginalized groups, particularly Black people, Indigenous people and people of color.
As an organization whose mission is “providing hope and resources for those affected by violence and advocating an end to that violence”, we have a proud history of leading the way to make positive changes in our community. We have used our resources and privileges to advocate for victims and survivors of violence and come along beside them as they gain their own voices. This has not always been easy or comfortable, nevertheless, we persisted.
This moment in time presents us with a challenge and opportunity to address racism. Our mission, our philosophy and our history command us to use our leadership and resources to confront injustice, promote healing, listen to the lived experiences of Black, Indigenous and people of color and speak out and lift up those in our organization and broader community. We must explicitly and unfailingly affirm the humanity and dignity of everyone.
American essayist, novelist, playwright and social critic, James Baldwin, once wrote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” Moving forward, the staff and board of Women’s Services are committed to creating a process for change and action around how institutional racism can be ameliorated or reversed within and through our programming, hiring, training, supervision, and other forms of organizational and institutional policies, practices and processes. We welcome others in our community who wish to join us on this journey.
|
