Looking to the Future

Yesterday my newborn baby and I watched Joe Biden and Kamala Harris address the nation as the next President and Vice President of the United States. In a lively drive-in theater/tailgate atmosphere, with car horns and cheers, there was an exhale, an unclenching, a relief...and a conviction to move forward with a clear call to action.

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Joe Biden explicitly said he wants to work on “rooting out systemic racism” — that level of clarity and directness is necessary in this existential crisis for our democracy and quite literally the lives of Black, Indigenous, People of Color. We have worked hard to finally arrive at this moment where our President-elect can utter these words.

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In fact, it was in 2017, immediately following the chaotic election of Donald Trump that I became ignited to begin the work of this nonprofit organization, Embracing Equity. Under a Trump presidency, we confronted racism and addressed equity head on across schools and geographic boundaries in an accessible and synchronous online learning platform. We graduated over a thousand people through our programs, raised awareness around the foundational skills needed in racial literacy for effective leadership, and built a mighty coalition of over 12,000 people in our mission to create an affirming, inclusive, and equitable educational ecosystem.

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Of course, there was always a need for Embracing Equity, but the dire situation, that effectively debunked the misguided belief that we lived in a post-racial society, crystalized the urgent need for truth-telling and activism. This moment in time is similarly another opportunity to confront the legacy and impact of racism, and humbly listen to Black, Indigenous, People of Color — including our new Madam Vice President.

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We cannot succumb to the complacent liberal temptation parodied by the comedian Kylie Brakeman to “vote for Biden so we can all get back to brunch” because now we have the chance to work with an administration for sweeping changes.

• Now there is a chance we will have a coherent national strategy for keeping everyone safe during this global pandemic.

• Now there is a chance that the children separated from their families at the border will be reunited with their loved ones.

• Now there is a chance that meaningful federal relief dollars will support those facing hardship.

• Now there is a chance we can rejoin the world in fighting climate change.

• Now there is a memory I will cherish with my daughter of watching a woman of color address this country from the second highest office. My daughter will see herself reflected in the leadership of this country.

There will be so much work to do ahead but for now I am deeply honored to be part of this Embracing Equity community; we have lived, breathed, and supported each other through the worst presidency in American history and we will live and breathe together as we take action under this new leadership.

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Join us in creating critical action plans and let us hold each other compassionately accountable to staying engaged and staying connected. Remember, we intentionally designed our learning spaces online (pre-COVID) and, in stark contrast to the typical online experience, we have real-time facilitation that supports each individual’s learning journey in an intimate cohort. We have a very successful track record with online learning, and we are poised to serve hundreds more through our online programming over the next 12 months. Additionally, our yearlong Leadership Residency helps leaders center racial equity in their leadership and their organizations for sustained long-term impact.

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We are here to support you! We have been ready for this moment and we are eager to continue embracing equity with you as we look ahead to what, for the first time in a long time, feels like a promising future.