Literacy Coalition of Central Texas Statement in Response to Police Violence against the Black Community
Systemic, institutionalized racism and violence have been at the core of our country since its founding. As an organization that seeks to break intergenerational cycles of poverty through literacy and education, the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas knows that our work is irrevocably intertwined with structural racism, its history, and its current impact on our communities.
We believe that literacy is power and that education brings opportunity, but we are aware of the stark disparities of power and opportunity that our students live within. We know that as an organization, we have work to do to become more anti-racist and trauma-informed, and we commit to doing that work. 96% of our students are People of Color, 6% of those students are Black. It is imperative that we address the traumatic impact of white supremacy and systemic racism on our students and the resulting challenges in their education and employment paths, as well as on their mental health. Thus, we are continuing to actively implement trauma-informed care principles into our programs and the fabric of our organization.
We are learners as well as teachers and we commit to learning and listening to voices within our organization and without as we work alongside students to build stronger communities rooted in social justice.
At the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, we stand with our community to call for an equitable justice system and accountability for police violence. Black lives matter and we must all use our voices and the power we have to make change. We will continue to work to ensure that our staff and leadership reflect our entire community and that our organization and programs are safe and welcoming for all. While we do not have all the answers, we commit ourselves to working with our staff and partner network to stand in solidarity with the Black community and demand justice.