Equity Team Newsletter, October 2020

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Honoring Indigenous People’s Day, Introducing Black Lives Matter at School and the Year of Purpose

Dear Sacajawea community, 

We at Sacajwea’s Parent Racial Equity Team are launching a new initiative this year in support of Black Lives Matter at School. If you are new to Sacajawea or aren’t yet familiar with our team, we are a group of parents, grandparents, and faculty who are committed to race and social justice. 

Our goals include:

  • creating an actively anti-racist school community

  • supporting families when a biased incident occurs

  • encouraging respectful dialogue about our differences

  • understand our own biases on gender, race, ability, and sex

  • removing barriers and biases to truly provide equal opportunity for our children; and, 

  • supporting equity work at other schools and in our wider community.

As we think about how we can support this mission, we are joining the Black Lives Matter at School movement this year, and participating in the Year of Purpose. This is a national initiative that calls on educators and families to reflect on our collective work in antiracism, continuing to challenge ourselves to center Black lives. 

Before we talk about this important movement, we also honor today, October 12, as Indigenous People’s Day. This is a day when we recognize that Native people are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States of America.

Honoring and recognizing the indigenous people of Seattle

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The Duwamish are the first people of Seattle. The word Duwamish means the "people of the inside," because the Duwamish have lived for thousands of years along the interior of the Duwamish, Black and Cedar Rivers - which are now Seattle, Mercer Island, Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland and other parts of King County. In fact, we are all living on Duwamish land right now!

One of the ways we recognize this fact is by opening our meetings, events (and this email!) by stating a Land Acknowledgement:

We at Sacajawea would like to acknowledge that we live and study on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.

Another way that people living in Seattle can honor and recognize the Duwamish Tribe is by making a financial contribution to the tribe, through Real Rent Duwamish. Learn more about the Real Rent initiative, and consider donating today.

Black Lives Matter at School and the Year of Purpose

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Black Lives Matter at School is a national coalition organizing for racial justice in education and first began in 2016 in Seattle. On October 19, 2016, educators around Seattle wearing shirts that said “Black Lives Matter: We Stand Together.” Many of Sacajawea’s staff and community participated in this event. Since then, this movement has spread all around the country and has spurred a national week of action in February, and now a Year of Purpose.

As this movement has grown, BLM at School developed the following demands for the movement:

  • End “zero tolerance” discipline, and implement restorative justice

  • Hire more Black teachers

  • Mandate Black history and ethnic studies in K-12 curriculum

  • Fund counselors not cops

Each month, the Parent Racial Equity Team will share information following the Year of Purpose programming, each month centering around one of the 13 guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement.

This month, our focus is on Restorative Justice. October 14th is George Floyd’s Birthday. Justice for George is a day to remember him and call for the defunding of the police and the redirecting of those funds towards social programs and education.

Guiding Principle: Restorative Justice
We are committed to collectively, lovingly, and courageously working vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people. As we forge our path, we intentionally build and nurture a beloved community that is bonded together through a beautiful struggle that is restorative, not depleting.​ 

 
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How can you support the Year of Purpose and recognize the Duwamish Tribe? 

  1. Sign the pledge to support the Year of Purpose

  2. Continue to learn, participate, and engage in the BLM at School, centered around the 13 Principles of Black Lives Matter. Read these emails, and talk your kids, family, and friends.

  3. Support the Duwamish Tribe with a donation to Real Rent Duwamish.

  4. Consider adding a Duwamish Tribe Land Acknolwedgement to your meetings and gatherings.

You can also wear your Sacajawea Black Lives Matter t-shirts, coming soon! The Parent Racial Equity Team will also reflect on key questions related to BLM at School, and share additional events, advocacy opportunities and other community events to support Black Lives Matter and racial equity at Sacajawea.

Additional Resources

Each month, we’ll share some additional resources and activities for you and your families to read, engage and learn more.

With gratitude,
Sacajawea’s Parent Racial Equity Team
Jennifer Sunami, Becky Beard, Dana Robison Slote, Robin King, John Delfeld, Karla Sclater, Sophie-Shifra Gold, Lori Phipps, Jenna Buzzard, Ara Swanson

P.S. -- We welcome everyone to join our next Parent Equity Team meeting, on November 4, 7:00 pm via Zoom. Email us for meeting details!