Like violence against women, violence against people with black and brown skin has a well-established history in the United States of America and around the world. The voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) must be lifted up and listened to as we move towards social and racial justice. Ending systemic racism will require each of us to self-reflect, decide what individual changes need to happen, and what systemic changes we can impact.
We, Anna Marie’s Alliance, are committed to anti-racism and social justice, and understand that as an established non-profit institution we need to address our own structural racism. We are dedicated to ongoing action, including but not limited to:
- Listening, learning from, and supporting the voices of BIPOC leaders who continue to outline what is needed to dismantle structural racism in our communities. Anna Marie’s Alliance will learn from and join with BIPOC leaders, using our platform to speak out when our voice will amplify these leaders’ messages.
- Examining our programs, practices, procedures, and policies to determine where we are perpetuating structural racism and white supremacy within our own work to end domestic violence/relationship abuse.
- Utilizing our resources and experiences for change we will bring our networks together to join with and stand alongside our BIPOC partners to ensure racial inequity will no longer be tolerated.
- Continue to highlight the impact of racism on victim/survivors of domestic violence. Black, Indigenous, and women of color are at a higher risk to experience and/or die due to domestic violence.
- Ensure resources/books/trainings are available on Anti-racism, social justice work, and dismantling systematic racism within organizations.
All forms of oppression share a common thread of dehumanization. We will not be able to end violence against women without ending violence against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
We look forward to coming together as a community to have the hard conversations around racism and acknowledge that Black lives do matter.