Dear Friend,
The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County condemns police brutality, the continued police violence against our Black brothers and sisters, the over-policing of communities of color and all systems of oppression that have plagued this nation for far too long. We join in the grief for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and the numerous others who have been murdered and victimized by this violence. This outrage cannot only be a moment! This needs to be a time for reflection and a call to action for all of us to actively engage in dismantling and elimination of the institutional, systemic and intentional racism that permeates throughout all levels of our society.
Black Lives Matter.
Social injustice, both locally throughout Ventura County and nationwide, is rampant. We cannot continue to actively or passively participate in these systems of oppression. Among many other injustices, people of color face:
- An unfair healthcare system, in which infant mortality rates among people of color are higher and death resulting from childbirth is remarkably higher among black women than any other demographic;
- Failures at all levels of our educational systems, which cause higher drop-out rates for students of color;
- Less equitable employment opportunities;
- A daily reality of experiencing bigotry, ignorance and prejudice
We need to address these issues head on. The effects of systemic racism have deprived our Black brothers and sisters and all people of color in our nation of the equal opportunity to build wealth and pursue their dreams. We need to understand that “not being racist” is not equal to being anti-racist. We need to address this inequity everywhere it shows up in our daily lives and in our communities.
We recognize that these feelings of outrage are everyday experiences for our Black brothers and sisters. This is why we call upon all our members, donors, and supporters to commit themselves to truly building a just and equitable society. As a Board, we are reassessing our own implicit biases and reflecting on how white supremacy shows up in our lives. We are educating ourselves and wholeheartedly devoting ourselves to finding ways we can further contribute. We need to be stronger advocates in this fight for racial justice!
As an organization committed to equity and justice for all, we want to provide our community with information on educational resources and organizations in Ventura County working for racial justice.
Books, Podcasts, Movies and More
https://app.donorsnap.com/bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES
Local Organizations Working for Racial Justice
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) – Ventura County
Black Owned Business in Ventura County
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jIAsUYc3j0h9NzeaExL_WeCEcaAwrIccRS1fLIp5z_c/edit#gid=0
As we announced last week, the Social Justice Fund of Ventura County is launching Social Justice Fellowships. Now more than ever, we need to invest in our emerging leaders and empower their voice by giving them a seat at the table. We need their voices to help society continue to navigate the issues that we have turned a blind eye to for far too long.
Sincerely,
The Board of the Social Justice Fund for Ventura County