Huntingdon House stands in solidarity with people of color in our organization, community, and the nation.
In response to the merciless murders of George Floyd and others – Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, State College resident Osaze Osagie, and so many more – we know we must continue to work on listening, dismantling oppressive systems, calling out racism, affirming Black lives matter, and saying their names.
Racism is a longstanding, often legalized, form of oppression. The fragility of our governmental, educational, and other societal institutions and the inadequacy of their responses to the inherent built-in racism is violently apparent.
At Huntingdon House, our mission is to provide support to any victims and survivors of domestic violence, while working toward the elimination of that abuse through education and advocacy within the community. This mission means that, by our very organizational existence, we stand against oppression and the unjust exercise of power and control.
The privilege and bias that fosters discrimination and injustice against Black people in our society comes from the same need for dominance that abusers have when they belittle, repress, and prey on their partners. They fear and dislike equality because it is a perceived loss of power, which abusers feel is their right.
Today we call for action from all the members of our Huntingdon House family to join us in condemning structural racism and its affronts to justice in the form of everyday abuses of emotional, psychological, and physical safety.
We commit to working for safety, equal access to resources, and justice for all. We commit to staying in dialogue with one another, listening to the voices who are often silenced, and expanding community outreach efforts to raise up Black voices. We commit to becoming better educated on oppression and the state-sponsored violence experienced by people of color.
We commit to advocating for policies that protect everyone and encourage you to contact your elected officials to tell them to do the same. Over the coming months, we will be sharing resources to help you learn more about the fight to end racism. Becoming involved in local equity movements like the Central PA chapter of SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice), the Pennsylvania Prison Society, or Diversity Huntingdon are opportunities.
Understanding that we will make mistakes, we will show up, be present, learn, and support those among us who have been marginalized. Whether it is through outreach to individuals, voluntarism, or financial contributions, our efforts can make a difference.
Join us. We need you.
