Jun 11, 2020
Instead of bringing our regularly scheduled episode on Trauma Informed organizations with Kate Dougherty, I am using the podcast to focus on the tragic killings that have thrust Black Lives Matter into the headlines and to amplify black voices.
Looking back on New Year's Eve, who among us thought that we would be where we find ourselves today? That a pandemic would sweep across the globe. That the pandemic would lay even more bare the disparities between people who are white and people who are black and brown? That our nation would finally erupt in protests and our elected President would encourage those protesters be dominated with troops, tear gas, bullets, and dogs.
As a person with privilege, I’ve added my presence at Black Lives Matter protests and added my voice among those calling for justice and equality. But over the past week, I am also reminded of the importance of making the space for black voices and our role in amplifying those voices.
Now is a time to amplify black voices, listen to those voices and make some personal decisions about what more each of us can do to stop the killing of black people. For this reason, I encourage you to read, watch, or listen to black voices during the 30-minutes you would normally spend listening to the podcast this week.
Dr. Martin Luther King eloquently said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” It is within our power to stop police violence, but it requires that we act.
I am confident that the nonprofit sector has an important role to play in building a more just world, and I am certain that we’ll be talking about just that in future episodes.