We are grateful for the courage and clarity of thought expressed by many individuals who have recently chosen to share their experiences of racism at Chewonki on the BIPOC at Chewonki Instagram feed. We have not done enough to fight racism within our organization. For that, we are profoundly sorry.
We hear that our role in this moment is to actively and respectfully listen, and not to intrude into a space created to amplify BIPOC voices. However, we welcome the opportunity to connect with anyone in our community who would like to share their thoughts or concerns about their experience at Chewonki, especially those who have experienced racism or any form of discrimination.
We also want you to know that we are reflecting on and doing the work that must be done to become an anti-racist organization. This includes reviewing all policies, protocols, and practices with an anti-racist lens, and calling all members of the Chewonki community to join our leadership team in committing to the work.
We are currently working with external diversity practitioners who are providing mandatory training for our leadership team, staff, and the Board of Trustees. The goal of our work with these consultants is to build the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to lead Chewonki with an anti-racist lens. We are committed to accountability and implementing changes.
In the weeks and months ahead we will be publishing a roadmap and other updates describing our efforts to dismantle structural racism at Chewonki. We remain grateful for your truth telling.
Sincerely,
Willard and Roseanne
Willard Morgan
President
wmorgan@chewonki.org
Roseanne Saalfield
Chair, Board of Trustees
rsaalfield@chewonki.org
