Written by René LaPointe Jameson, Roots & Shoots National Youth Leadership Council Member 2014-2020
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” We cannot be silent about racial injustice.
Roots & Shoots is committed to making the world a better place for people, animals, and the environment. To support all people, we must acknowledge race and how it impacts people by providing unearned privileges to some and oppression to others. Confronting society’s structural racism is uncomfortable but allowing discomfort to prevent addressing inequality is worse.
We urge members of the R&S community to take action: organize projects and fundraisers, educate ourselves, empathize, and listen to oppressed voices. We stand with the Black community and those fighting for Black lives to be protected and respected. Black Lives Matter!
Signed,
Members of the 2020 United States Roots & Shoots National Youth Leadership Council
