BLM at School: Introduction to the 2022-2023 School Year
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Dear Sacajawea Community,
Versión en Español
Hello Sacajawea Community,
The Parent Racial Equity Team is happy to share our first newsletter of the year with you. We hope that many people had the opportunity to learn more about the team and our work at the November 3 Heritage Potluck. It was great to share all the delicious food with many students and their families! The feedback we heard is that families would like to see more events that bring our Sacajawea community together. Please email the Equity Team at equity@sacpta.org with your ideas and let us know if you would like to help with a future event.
The Equity Team is dedicated to helping uproot racism, understanding that the work is a long-term effort that requires reflection as well as action; and to celebrating our diverse community. Learn more about the Equity Team on our Sacajawea PTA page.
Black Lives Matter at School provides a Year of Purpose framework to move educators and parents beyond a Week of Action. This year, BLM at School is asking people to submit “testimonials (audio, video, image, text document) that answer" the Self Reflection Questions posed to introduce a year of purpose. You can find out more about this initiative and submit testimony at BLM at School YOP.
Because we’ve missed a couple months of newsletters, we are sharing the Year of Purpose (YOP) focus for October and November.
October - Justice for George becomes Abolition Day
George Floyd’s birthday, October 14, has become “Justice for George” day, a day to reflect on the murders of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and many others in order to spark discussion and justice-oriented work to transform our communities. BLM at School has expanded this day to Abolition Day to pay tribute to the continuing legacy of Black-led abolitionist organizing.
November - Black Trans Lives Matter
November 20 recognizes Transgender Day of Remembrance to honor Black Trans lives. The day marks a BLM principle to be Transgender Affirming. Transgender people and gender non-conforming people experience discrimination and higher rates of violence than other groups of people, particular transgender people of color. See Pacific Northwest Black Pride and Human Rights Campaign to find resources and learn how to be an ally.
National Indigenous Heritage Month
Many families have probably heard about what their students learned during our National Indigenous Heritage Month to celebrate the rich cultures of Washington state Indigenous History. Did you know that Washington’s first Indigenous poet laureate is Rena Priest? Appointed in 2021, her two-year term will run until March 31, 2023. KNKX has a great introduction to her work and her goals as the state’s poet laureate.
Our school, of course, is named after an Indigenous woman whose history has often been misrepresented. Although there is much that remains unknown about her extraordinary life, you can read a brief history here: Sacajawea.
What can you do to learn more?
If you have 3 minutes watch Martha Redbone's beautiful rendition of Sleep Sleep Beauty Bright.
If you have 4 minutes (or more!) read How to Explain Thanksgiving to Your Kids: 5 Tips to Center Native American Voices.
If you have 9 minutes read 4 Ways George Floyd’s Murder Has Changed How We Talk About Race and Education.
Dig Deeper with the resources
Books
Telling the Thanksgiving Story from a Native American Perspective (book list)
We are Grateful
Sarah Rising
Breonna Marches Through Time
With gratitude,
Sacajawea’s Parent Racial Equity Team
equity@sacpta.org