Dear Friends of The Literacy Center
The past few months have been unbelievably difficult. The past few days, even more so. The global pandemic has brought fear, hardship, and despair to our communities and has cast light on the stark inequities in our country. At the same time, the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other people of color have sparked outrage and protest across the nation and world.
As I reflect on my role as a nonprofit leader during this moment in history, I am reminded that nonprofit organizations have long been beacons of light in difficult times. During the past three months of the pandemic, the nonprofits in our community have gone above and beyond – feeding the hungry, providing childcare to essential workers, paying rent and bills for unemployed families, and providing healthcare to those in need. The Literacy Center is honored to have been a small part of this tremendous effort. Now, as our friends, colleagues, and neighbors come together to demand justice and equality for people of color, we are again called to serve. We are called to provide safe spaces for dialogue and discussion, and we are called to help lift up and support those in our community who are suffering.
As the director of an organization that serves diverse people hailing from 54 countries, I am compelled to add my voice in solidarity with the movement to end systematic racism and discrimination of people of color in our country. I believe that no matter who we are – or what we look like – we all want to live in a community where we feel safe, respected, and valued. When there are groups of people who do not feel safe and do not feel valued, we all suffer.
In light of this, I would like to provide a few resources as we think together about how to be better stewards of equality and mutual respect in our towns and cities. This is a critical moment in history and how we act today will have a tremendous impact on our ability to heal as a nation. I implore you to not turn away or be silent. This is a time for courage. Please click on the links below for more resources. I would like to thank the United Way for providing these important resources to us:
- Discussrace with the children in your life. (it is never too early to start – click here to learn why)
- Educate yourself about issues of race. Here is a list of books to get you started.
- Support racial justice.Read this list of 75 actionable things you can do today.
- Perhaps most importantly,listen to people of color when they talk about their experiences. Believe them.
In the upcoming week, I will be sending an update about The Literacy Center’s current operations and how we envision the future in the near and long term. For now, we remain closed through June 30 th .
I encourage us all to focus our energy on how we can support our community members during this painful time. Please know that I can be reached at any time if you would like to discuss any of these resources, or if you have questions or concerns. I am always here to have constructive conversations and provide support in any way I can.
Sincerely,
Amanda Blount, MSW