Our Grief. Our Hope. Our Responsibility.
iMentor Community,
I am reaching out during a time of deep pain and outrage, for myself and for the iMentor community. As we mourn the deaths of George Floyd, of Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. As we recognize that these are only three recent examples of a hate and violence that is founded in and perpetuated by white supremacy. And as we reflect and are sobered by the 400 years that this poison has been at the epicenter of our American story.
We stand with and in support of all of the people across the country that are organizing and uniting in a demand for racial justice and criminal justice reform. We remain committed to ensuring that the pain in this moment translates—finally—to the fundamental and systemic change that is required for our collective liberation. We know that anything less than fighting with and for the Black community is complicity in a system that seeks to dehumanize and oppress them. And we know that this is the responsibility of each of us as individuals, of iMentor as an organization, and of white people specifically, whom for too long have not had the courage to do the work alongside those who have been leading this fight for generations. This trauma is of our making; it is time to do our share.
The iMentor community is powerful, 20,000 mentors and mentees strong. And our responsibility to our community feels so vital right now. In this moment, we commit to continuing our efforts to ensure we foster a community that is actively anti-racist. A community that remains grounded in the practices of dialogue and learning across difference. And a community that believes radically in the power and potential of the young people iMentor serves.
We ask members of our community to join us in the fight for equality and for racial justice. It is up to each of us to find our own way as individuals to contribute, to sacrifice, and to demand something significantly different. To put something on the line. In support of those collective efforts, iMentor will continue to share resources we can use to educate, advocate, organize and take action.
Donate, Advocate, Participate
- Minnesota Freedom Fund
- The Bail Project
- The Gathering for Justice
- National Action Network
- Black Lives Matter
Educate Yourself: Anti-Racism Resources
- Learn about the 75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice
- List of Anti-Racism Resources
- Affirming Black Lives Without Inducing Trauma
In solidarity,
Mike O’Brien
