BLACK LIVES MATTERDear Usdan community, Over the past two months, I have not once struggled to write. This week, I did, and still am. I am struggling because I am white and in a leadership role, writing at a time of great and necessary protest over the death of George Floyd. Not writing would have been easier, but right now being silent is worse than being messy. My thoughts are with the members of our community who are black. Our black students, parents, guardians, alumni, supporters, teachers, and administrators. Your lives matter. Though I hope you have never experienced racism here, I know that racism exists in the world and has existed in this world at Usdan. Though I do not yet know how we will end racism here, we are committed to its end. I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences by replying to this email. Alternatively, parents and staff who have yet to complete the survey sent in April, can do so now via one of the buttons below. Your feedback will help us implement institutional change around diversity, equity, and inclusion. It will shape the creation of yearly training, staff working groups, and help us devise a multi-year strategy. It will be a community effort to make sure Usdan is an anti-racist place. Lauren Brandt Schloss, Executive Director Jammie Holmes, PLEASE I CAN’T BREATHE., 2020 "In response to the recent murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police, I initiated a public demonstration that extended across 5 cities on Saturday, May 30 between the hours of 11:30 AM and 9 PM EST. Airplanes with banners presenting Floyd’s final words connected these places across the United States to support Minneapolis in a national protest against police brutality within the African American community." - Jammie Holmes |