Standing In Solidarity to Combat Systemic Racism
Dear Wholistic Community,
It is very telling that as we relaunch our newsletter, Our Wholistic Planet, we feel the need to start off with a topic other than the global COVID-19 pandemic plaguing our communities.
Our country is in a state of turmoil following the senseless death of 46-year-old, father-of-two, George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. But the unrest we are seeing unfold in cities and towns across America is much bigger than this one tragic incident. Black Americans and their allies are responding to ongoing systemic oppression and brutality that disproportionately targets black and brown people.
As a multiracial community, we know that racism, violence, and inequality exists in our society all the time, not just when someone captures it on video. While we are grateful to the men and women in uniform who strive to apply justice even-handedly, we are painfully aware that members of our community directly experience injustice on a regular basis.
As a community rooted in health, wellness, and mutual respect, we are committed to fighting racism and resisting all forms of oppression. There are various ways we can take action, whether it is donating to charities that support social justice; attending peaceful protests or prayer circles to show solidarity and strength in numbers; reaching out to people different than us to acknowledge their grief and express our distraught at their suffering; and, reaching out to civil and governmental leadership to share our thoughts about intolerance.
It is also very important to educate ourselves and talk to our children about what is going on in the world so we can all try to make sense of these complex issues. Below are several resources we recommend as we strive to move forward together through this trying time.
With love and respect,
Dr. David
Resources for talking with children about race:
- Talking Race with Young Children
- Resources for Talking about Race, Racism, and Racialized Violence with Kids
- Children’s books to support conversations about race
Resources for taking peaceful action: