HERAA Statement in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter
The Harriet E. Richards Alumnae Association stands in solidarity with the Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement in this fight for justice.
We, a community of cisgender women, transgender women, and non-binary folks, acknowledge that these marginalized identities are often left out of the narrative and the calls for justice. We uplift and say the names of Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, and Iyanna Dior. We grieve their deaths. We condemn the acts of violence that took their lives and the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and countless others who have died at the hands of police brutality and systemic racism.
We, a community of alumni, amplify the actions of current Harriet E. Richards House residents, who are actively supporting Black student-led actions at Boston University to raise funds for social justice organizations and to petition Boston University to match those funds.
We recognize that anti-Black violence and the existing trauma that surrounds these events is a daily reality for Black folks in our communities.
As individuals, those of us in HERAA who are white or non-Black people of color, whether on the Board or among its membership, must work to address our anti-Blackness historically, today, tomorrow, and continuously.
As an organization, we commit to centering the voices and needs of our Black alumni and current residents and addressing ways we can sustain this movement within and outside our community.
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We will work with H.E.R. House student leaders to identify how we can best support the continual work of building a culture that dismantles racial oppression inside the House.
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We will work with alumni to identify how we can best analyze our own organization’s culture, structure, and processes to ensure we are empowering our Black alumni and building a culture that dismantles racial oppression.
For members of our community who are interested in taking action, with your voice or your wallet, please sign the petition asking Boston University to match funds for social justice organizations and review the following list of resources.
We also welcome dialogue. Please connect with the HERAA community and share additional resources in the online H.E.R. House Community group or by emailing us:
#BlackLivesMatter #SayHerName
