To our community of friends, supporters and family members,
To Our Clients, Our Doulas, Our Mentors, and Our Advisory Board,
To our neighborhoods, our city, our children and our grandparents,
SisterWeb stands with you in pain.
The tragic murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police officers remind us of the devastating reality of racial profiling of Black Americans every day. Amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic here in San Francisco, we stand and witness the other real battle we are fighting — the battle against racism and white supremacy. With the inequities between racial groups engaged in protest AND the inequities in health outcomes both on the front pages of papers nationally, our communities are still here, standing and ready to fight.
As a multiracial, multicultural organization, SisterWeb commits to fight harder. As community educators, birth workers, and visionaries for the world we must build, we stand even taller and stronger in this battle against racism. With each loss, not as a number, but as a cherished soul, we grieve and commit to persevere. When black lives are blatantly disrespected, dishonored and disregarded - in the birth room, the courtroom, on the sidewalk and the classroom - we stand in pain and we commit to: listen harder, dig deeper into self-reflection, envision bigger, speak out when we know something isn’t right and reach across the divide with a steadier arm.
For those of us who don’t identify as Black, every time we engage in microaggressions, continuing business as usual or the perpetuation of stereotypes, we contribute to the problem. Sharing in the responsibility, each of us can do our part in this relentless campaign for equity. We commit to fight the battle on all levels: with new legislation, pushing for institutional change, and especially learning and recognizing when we perpetuate racism and work to make amends. Every time we reach out across culture, race, or class, and make gestures of solidarity, we make progress in this battle.
-The Leadership Circle of SisterWeb
Marna Armstead, Executive Director
Alli Cuentos, Program Director
Deundra Hundon, Operations Manager
Laura Perez, Mentorship Coordinator
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