The staff and board of Friends of the San Juans stands in solidarity with those demanding justice for George Floyd, along with countless other Black lives taken too soon. We all must play a part in dismantling the violent and racist system that has defined our country for far too long.
Our mission to protect and restore the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea includes our human communities. We stand for the health, safety, opportunity, and basic human rights of all people.
While we continue our mission-driven work to build thriving communities, protect shorelines, and ensure healthy seas, we vow to honor this anti-racism movement inside our homes and throughout our organization.
As a grassroots environmental group, we also recognize the connection between environmental justice and social justice. This is called Intersectional Environmentalism—an inclusive version of environmentalism that advocates for both the protection of people and the planet. The injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected and must be brought to light.
Friends of the San Juans has a role to play. We know that many of the environmental issues that we work on have been shaped at their very core by racism. We will not have true environmental sustainability until racism is addressed.
Like many of you, we are listening right now. We are learning.
In addition to listening and learning, we are committed to taking action:
- We will create a publicly available racial equity statement.
- We will support paid staff participation in diversity and inclusion / anti-racism training.
- We will seek out opportunities to support racial equity, diversify the environmental movement, and support intersectional environmentalism.
Here’s to being a part of this wave of change.
Thank you for standing with us,
Friends of the San Juans Staff and Board
p.s. There are tangible actions each of us can take to begin to enact individual and collective change. Here are just a few resources for getting started:
Demand Justice for George Floyd (NAACP Legal Defense Fund Petition)
Donate to the Northwest Community Bail Fund
Racism in the Criminal Justice System: An Infographic
Why ‘All Lives Matter’ is problematic
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Anti-racism Resources + Reading List
Anti-Racist Reading List (Chicago Public Library)
How to Talk to Kids about Race
Attend an Undoing Racism Workshop
Make sure you are registered to vote
Intersectional Environmentalism
Participate in tonight’s Black Lives Matter Protest in Friday Harbor (6 p.m. at the Courthouse).
