Asian American LEAD Stands in Solidarity with Black Lives
AALEAD believes that it is our moral duty to speak truth to the racial injustices laid bare in our society today and to state unequivocally that Black lives matter. We grieve the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Dominique Clayton, Rayshard Brooks,and too many other Black lives at the hands of police violence, which is a fatal manifestation of the deeply rooted systemic racism that has been a part of America since its founding. We acknowledge that Asian Pacific Americans have also perpetuated racism in this country, and it is our duty to understand and confront that in ourselves, our families, and our communities.
AALEAD’s Work & Racial Equity
AALEAD works to fight against racial inequities. We provide resources and support to youth who are traditionally denied equitable access to personal, educational, and employment success. We invest in the belief that young people deserve the tools and opportunities to define themselves and their futures. We acknowledge the structural inequities that act as barriers to success for marginalized youth, and we affirm that the world we seek to create requires equity for all people. We will not accept incremental steps toward change as good enough.
The struggles of Asian American and Black communities, though unique, are also powerfully interconnected, as addressed in our youth program curriculum around Asian-Black solidarity. Current AALEAD youth are speaking up in solidarity for Black and brown people. Issues of racial injustices directly affect many of our AALEAD community members. This is a moment to reflect on this current moment and how we got here, listen to Black and brown colleagues, educate ourselves, and act to advance racial equity.
AALEAD’s Commitment to Action
We know that we have much work to do as individuals and as an organization to fully advance racial equity, and we are committed to taking the following actions:
● Listen to and uplift the work and demands of Black-led organizations for racial justice through our social media, blog, and newsletters.
● Create and hold safe spaces for AALEAD youth to process and understand what is happening right now, identify their roles in the struggle for justice, and facilitate community healing.
● Support youth-led initiatives for racial justice.
● Advocate for resources and spaces for youth to examine histories of race and identity.
● Assess and implement racial equity practices in governance, programs, and operations.
● Engage all staff and board members in anti-racism training.
In Solidarity,
AALEAD Board & Staff