Dear Jumpstart Family & Friends,
Following the tragic events of the weekend in Charlottesville, I am heartbroken and outraged over the images of violence and deep-seated hate and intolerance that were on display. White supremacy and bigotry go against all that we as an organization stand for.
While Jumpstart doesn’t have programming in Charlottesville, we have Jumpstart staff and families who come from or currently live there. My family and I lived there for four years, and I too have family and dear friends there. But this affects all of us.
The events over the weekend brought these horrific and blatant displays of racism to the forefront of our national conversation, but we cannot take our eyes off the important work we need to do every day to identify and dismantle the structures and systems that perpetuate bias and inequity.
It’s important that we remember the role that we all play in combatting this particular wave of hatred — as well as Jumpstart’s role in combatting systemic injustices, especially racial, ethnic and socio-economic, that contribute to achievement gaps for children of color and from low-income families.
I feel more committed to our mission and proud to be standing alongside each of you as we do this critical work every day in communities across our nation. I will continue to stand up for the communities where we work, speak out against the injustice we are witnessing, and value our role in improving the lives of children every day. Thank you for standing with me as we remain focused and forge ahead in this challenging time.
In solidarity,
Naila
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