Let’s get right to the point. On September 22nd, President Trump signed and released an Executive Order to try to stop the work of racial justice. He has ended racial equity work in federal government agencies and other federally funded contracts, and is even directly attacking those doing racial equity work in local governments like Seattle.
It gets worse. Among Trump’s banned words— words that automatically trigger defunding and punishment — are “systemic racism,” “intersectionality,” “white privilege,” “critical race theory,” and “unconscious bias.” We can’t change the problem if we can’t name the problem. Through his “Executive Order on Race and Sex Stereotyping”, President Trump is trying to silence the movement for racial equity.
Race Forward’s President Glenn Harris recently appeared on CNN and CBS News to push back on President Trump’s efforts. He and Senior Vice President Julie Nelson wrote recently that Trump clearly is opposed to a vision of “a multiracial democracy in which we all can achieve our highest potential.”
We know that the coronavirus pandemic, state and vigilante violence against the Black community, an environmental crisis, and an economic recession have exposed the horrifying impact of racial inequities between white people and people of color. We have seen people rising up everywhere to demand equity and understanding. But President Trump and his administration literally want to stop Americans from talking and working together to end systemic racism.
We won’t bow down. In fact, these attacks elevate the urgency of our work.
You can join hundreds of other organizations from across the country and sign on here to commit to dialogue, education, and action to address systemic racism and create a more equitable way forward for all Americans.
And more importantly, join us at Facing Race: A National Virtual Conference, November 10-12, as we all come together from across the nation to learn from our smartest leaders, share strategies with each other, and inspire each other. We will let them know that no one can stop our movement for racial justice!