Message from Kyle Amber Clark:
Barely a week into 2021, we, as a country, experienced the sight of violence that transpired in our United States Capitol on January 6th. The event was an act of toxic white supremacy and is intolerable. The Learning Center for the Deaf is outraged, and we, as an organization, continue to take a stand against destruction and racism. We, the TLC community, ask you to join us as we take the time to reflect on what has happened and how that experience affected and differs for our community members.
We cannot be neutral, not today, not ever, because to remain neutral is being complicit and we continue to create harm. The Learning Center for the Deaf is committed to unpack, relearn, and educate ourselves and others to do better as citizens.
In my role as the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, I ask that we take a moment to pause and pay attention to our emotions as we continue to make sense of what is happening in our country. We must deem steadfast in this critical work to move and lead our organization forward. We commit to center racial equity in our everyday work. We cannot do this alone; we welcome you, our TLC community, to partake in this journey as we navigate together in time for healing.
We, The Learning Center for the Deaf, acknowledge that we must play a critical role in disrupting racism. We have the responsibility to do more, and we are moving in the right direction in a historical moment in our country, to move toward healing. Now is the time we bind together in solidarity for racial equity and dismantle racism in our country.
Here are few ways to support for racial justice:
- Educate yourself about structural oppression and racism
- Talk about race with your children
- Find opportunities in your community to engage in racial justice
- Find space to process the aftershocks of last week’s violence
I now turn this to share some of our programs’ stance on unity for racial justice. In solidarity for racial healing.