We at Loving Without Boundaries (LWB) want to take a stand and voice our advocacy alongside the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM), and the resulting worldwide protests against institutional racism and racial inequality. In light of the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other black individuals who faced horrific brutality at the hands of those who are supposed to protect, it is imperative to not stay silent as we are in a time of movement, demonstration, and much needed change. We find the continuous sustained and structural racism to be a fundamental and deeply distressing injustice.
My heart goes out to those experiencing understandable pain, fear, and anger as a result of these acts. Please know that the leadership at LWB are actively discussing how we can best serve the community at large and the international human rights movement BLM against violence and systemic racism towards black people. We stand alongside you as an ally. For our members of color in our community, please use this forum to share information that you want your allies to hear. I will champion your message to the best of my ability.
To that end, if you have not yet listened to my recent podcast release with Chaneé Jackson Kendall who is part of the planning committee for Black Poly Pride D.C., I invite you to listen to and share episode #140 far and wide. It is an honor to offer a platform to elevate marginalized voices so they can be heard, and their perspectives and experiences honored.
My partner shared the below insightful, informative, and powerful video with me today from John Oliver and Last Week Tonight. Ed Hooper – one of the cherished moderators of our Facebook community and also an upcoming podcast interviewee – also shared this video. I invite you to watch it to the end where there is a deeply powerful and moving statement by a passionate woman. I was moved to tears by the end of this piece, feeling deep empathy for what she expressed so powerfully, mic drop style.
Police: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
“As nationwide protests over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are met with police brutality, John Oliver discusses how the histories of policing and white supremacy are intertwined, the roadblocks to fixing things, and some potential paths forward.”
Lastly, at LWB we believe this is a key pivotal moment in time for all of us as individuals to take inspired, intelligent, and incessant action against institutional racism and white supremacy. Colleagues of mine, the Center for a New Culture shared the following ways that you can contribute to the cause (Thank you, CFNC!).
Donate Money to 70+ bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizers here: https://buff.ly/2TVZQwm
Deepen Your Anti-Racism Work using this scaffolded resource, which gives you targeted study suggestions based on where you are: https://buff.ly/2UprH8p
Join the Ongoing Efforts to End White Supremacy:
— SURJ (Showing up for Racial Justice): https://buff.ly/32jt4Hx
— Black Lives Matter: https://buff.ly/2XlDgPL
If you are needing support or feeling distress, please feel free to reach out to us at: support@lovingwithoutboundaries.com. We are here to help. We care about you, and your well-being.
With tremendous love and light,
Kitty Chambliss and the Loving Without Boundaries Team