Message from WDN President & CEO: Our Collective Grief, Anger, and Action

Dear WDN Community,

I’m writing to you during a time of collective grief and profound anger, and in solidarity with those on the ground in Minnesota who are demanding that George Floyd‘s life matter—and those around the globe who are demanding that Black Lives Matter.

For those who want to support organizers in Minnesota, here are recommendations on where individual donors can send funds. We’ve sought guidance from Emergent Fund Director alicia sanchez gill and from other Black women leaders who are publicly sharing organizations to support. The Emergent Fund is also working to move funds to these organizations too.

If you’ve been following the murder of Breonna Taylor, please also consider supporting Black Lives Matter Louisville. They’ve been mobilizing in the wake of Breonna’s shooting by Louisville police.

On a national level, the Jean Hardisty Initiative in WDN has assembled an incredible roster of organizations in the Movement for Black Lives ecosystem that deserve your additional support as well. You can donate directly or make a contribution to WDN designated for one of these organizations.

WDN is committed to racial justice. Through our collective giving and activism, we are trying to create a world where everyone has the respect, dignity, and resources they need to thrive.

Our network is multi-racial and multi-generational, but the truth is that the vast majority of our members are white. Many of us have benefitted from a system that elevates white lives and dehumanizes and extinguishes Black lives. We didn’t ask for this legacy, but it’s our responsibility to take action to eliminate racism with fiery urgency. Especially when the White Supremacist in Chief is leveraging our country’s painful history and present to call for the wholesale shooting of protesters.

If you have any questions or want to talk more, please reach out to me.

With you in this fight for justice,

Donna P. Hall
President & CEO

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