YWCA Princeton founded Stand Against Racism more than 10 years ago. Personally, I came to this work in 2016 when my despair at our nation's future made me unable to passionately work for any other purpose. I read books and articles on racial justice, I watch documentaries and films on racial justice, I listen to podcasts and TED talks on racial justice, I follow Instagram and Facebook accounts on racial justice. And what I have learned is best summed up by Shay-Akil McLean, PhD (@hood_biologist) "I'm waiting for people to catch on to the fact that the work of unlearning racism is mostly internal. This is easy to recognize once you peep that you can't & won't act any different if you can't identify racism within yourself."
I figured this out for myself in 2018 and I wrote this letter to the editor in 2019 in to share this realization with others and I have dedicated myself to showing up to eliminate racism and empower women. I will be walking every morning from July 27 through August 10 at Princeton's Community Park track at 8 AM -- rain or shine -- to raise money and awareness for racial justice. Please come join me, walk alongside me and let's have a conversation about racial justice. Or donate here to financially support YWCA Princeton's ongoing work*. Even better, sign up yourself for the run/walk and start your own campaign!
~Julie Sullivan-Crowley, Director of Operations, YWCA Princeton
*YWCA Princeton provides year-round anti-racism programming, which includes both education and advocacy:
Education
Stand Against Racism series every April (Founded by YWCA Princeton and YWCA Trenton in 2008, and now adopted by YWCA USA and over 200 YWCA Associations across the US). The series includes: Thought Provoking Talks (panel discussion with over 80 in attendance), an Open Mic & Youth Rally, and a Day of Action, where we write to and call our legislators about pressing issues. Most recent speakers included:
· Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds Jackson,
· Elizabeth Williams Riley – President & CEO of the American Conference on Diversity,
· Lauren Lalicon – Policy Director for the First Lady of New Jersey, and
· Caroline Clarke – Esq and Board Member of Not In Our Town Princeton.
Workshop series for individuals holding white privilege called “White Supremacy and Me” created by Layla Saad. The series is designed to teach individuals holding white privilege how they benefit from white supremacy in our society and how to combat the ways in which they unknowingly propagate it.
Guest Speaker: Adriana Abizadeh, then Executive Director of Latin American Legal Defense Fund who has had tremendous success in growing LALDELF’s reach and services. Topic: “Metamorphosis: Transforming Leadership”.
Film screening of Ava Duvernay’s “When They See Us” and discussion lead by racial literacy educator, Dr. Joy Barnes Johnson, providing a deeper understanding of the criminalization of black and brown bodies.
Summer Book Series with discussions lead by Rachel Cargle: “Killing the Black Body”, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, and “Between the World and Me” by TaNehisi Coates.
Eight-week series following The Next Question, a web show engaging leading voices on critical topics of racial justice in America created by Austin Channing Brown and featuring Nikole Hannah-Jones, Andre Henry, Brene Brown and more.
Viewing of NJ Institute for Social Justice’s live streaming 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones and a panel on the Role in Slavery in America – and New Jersey.
Promoted and participated in YWCA USA National Tele-Townhall about increasing civic engagement this election year to ensure the voices of women and communities of color across the country are heard. The event featured Janelle Monae as well as leaders of groups like Supermajority.
Film screening of 13th, by Ava Duvernay about the Prison Industrial Complex its roots in slavery.
Summer Mission Academy for our Board of Directors: required reading and viewing for our board on the topics of eliminating racism and empowering women.
Our Child Development Center hosted Kidsbridge workshops for our children. Bullying behavior begins as early as age three. These workshops teach the value of diversity and how to be an upstander instead of a bystander.
Co-sponsored this year’s Juneteenth celebration in Princeton.
Co-sponsored workshops with partner organizations to further the cause of racial justice in our community.
Advocacy
Promoting a bill to restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals who have served their sentences and are on probation or parole. We attended a hearing at the state legislature to show our support. This bill was successfully passed, and restored voting rights to over 83,000 overwhelmingly black and brown individuals throughout the state of New Jersey.
Signed a letter asking our legislators to block the acquisition of military-grade weaponry for the police in our area. (Militarization of the police force leads to more violence against black and brown bodies.)
We are a member of the Complete Count Commission for the US Census. Communities of color are often undercounted in the census. The census is key to ensuring racial justice, as it is used to decide funding for schools, health and human services, transportation, and infrastructure that are essential to flourishing communities. Perhaps most importantly - it is used to decide the number of delegates that represent us in government. As an official Census site, we leverage our deep connection to the Trenton community to ensure all are counted.
Regularly attend Not In Our Town events and NIOT’s Continuing Conversations on racial justice and actively strengthen our partnership with NIOT as well as many other community organizations.
Advertised and participated in George Floyd protests in Newark and Princeton.
Together with over 200 YWCAs nationwide, we signed an appeal to pass the Justice in Policing Act.
Supported Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair Act (CROWN Act)
Supported Licenses for All.
Participated in YWCA USA Capitol Hill Day, promoting for additional funding for the Childcare & Development Block Grant, ensuring childcare scholarship for families in need.
Wrote a letter to the Editor in response to white nationalist rally that was planned in Princeton.
Wrote to legislators supporting $15 minimum wage.
Wrote to legislators to implement a national data collection on all COVID-19 health data disaggregated and cross tabulated by race and gender.
Marched in protest against ICE raids in Princeton community, and in support of Dreamers.
P.S. My message remains the same: Do the work: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com
