Our Statement on the Attack of the Capitol Building

The Educational Equity Institute's Statement on the Attack of the Capitol Building

Like many Americans, we were shocked by armed domestic terrorists storming the United States Capitol on Wednesday. Unfortunately, we were not surprised. Sadly, death, violence, theft, and destruction are the fabric of America. This country was founded on the backs of Indigenous peoples, which was followed by violently importing enslaved Africans as an unpaid labor force. White supremacy is an American value. White supremacy is the intentional exfoliation and oppression of people of color by Whites in power for the sole purpose of maintaining and defending a system of wealth, power, and privilege. What we saw play out this week was just that - white supremacists attempting to defend a system of wealth, power, and privilege. America is rife with hypocrisy. We have long known that there are two Americas: one for Whites and the other for Black people and other people of color. Over the summer when many Black protestors took to the streets to protest police brutality, the police presence was plenty, and they stood ready and prepared. Unfortunately, the police presence at the US Capitol was scant at best.

There will never be any peace or coming together in America until we confront the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow. There is an imminent need for racial healing in America. For far too long America has turned a blind eye and continuously failed to adequately address the inequities that plague its citizens, especially BIPOC. The Educational Equity Institute understands and promotes the need for racial healing as a path towards equity and justice. We stand firmly against all forms of oppression. We deeply understand the need to have dialogue about equity that includes the unpacking of white supremacy and the interlocking constructs of racism, capitalism, and patriarchy. The Educational Equity Institute believes in telling the truth about our nation's history as the first step towards racial healing. Achieving racial equity and justice requires America to atone for past harms, reconcile present injustices, and build a socially just future.