Black Lives Matter

June 3, 2020

Dear Bow Seat community,

Over the last two weeks, we have witnessed a world-shaking response to the tragic loss of Black lives—George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many more—and a courageous resistance to the ongoing violence inflicted on communities of color. Bow Seat stands in solidarity with the movement rising up against white supremacy, police brutality, and systemic racism.

As we share in the collective grief, anger, and desire for justice, we recognize that as an organization, and as individuals, we have work to do, and that the work extends far beyond this moment. As allies, artists, and educators, we have a responsibility to engage in an ongoing practice of learning about anti-racism and how to dismantle white supremacy. We are committed to listening to, learning from, and uplifting Black and Brown voices, and to un-learning narratives that have upheld destructive systems of power.

To that end, we are also dedicated to using our platform to advance intersectional environmentalism, and to standing in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and communities of color who fight daily against environmental injustice—communities that have long been “resilient in the face of a deep history of genocide and destruction,” as Winona LaDuke puts it in A People’s Curriculum for the Earth. Communities of color are disproportionately threatened by extractive and polluting industries that poison air, water, Earth, and living bodies—such as fossil fuel refineries, plastics manufacturing, and waste disposal—as well as by the mounting impacts of the climate crisis, including heat waves and extreme weather events. As an environmental education organization, we can, and must, do more to put social justice at the heart of our work to protect our blue planet. Our students demand a better, healthier, and safer world; we must give them the tools to create it, and wield those tools alongside them.

Bow Seat’s mission is centered on uplifting youth voices who dare to think and create beyond the structures and systems that have fueled our planetary emergency, and to support the young leaders who are building and propelling social movements. We work to hold a safe space for teens to share their questions, concerns, visions, hopes, and stories about the world they experience, and the world they wish to see.

To our students who are grieving, hurting, raging, and organizing right now: we hear you, we see you, and we are with you. Continue to use your creative practice to speak out against injustices—to people and to the planet: question, shine a light, expose, reveal, break hearts wide open. Creativity is power. Use your art as a map, or a compass—offering possibilities for a better path forward in our collective future. We will be walking with you.

Whether you are a student, educator, caregiver, or ocean lover in our community—wherever you might be on your personal journey toward racial and environmental justice—we are glad you are here, and we hope you join us in taking action:

• Donate directly to frontline folks and organizations fighting for racial justice (as well as bail funds in your area or around the country) such as:
  • Color of Change
  • Black Lives Matter
  • Black Visions Collective
  • Movement for Black Lives
• Educate yourself and the people around you. This list of anti-racism resources is a great place to start. Share, have conversations, and be humble. For educators looking to teach about racial justice, we recommend these resources:
  • Teaching for Black Lives
  • Teaching Tolerance: Race & Ethnicity
  • Social Justice in the Science Classroom
  • People’s Historians Online – Black Freedom Struggle: From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement
  • National Museum of African American History & Culture – Talking About Race
• Demand that Congress take action. Call your representatives to urge them to co-sponsor and push for a vote on Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Barbara Lee, and Karen Bass’s resolution to condemn police brutality, racial profiling, and use of excessive force.
• Confront racism wherever you see it, online and with family or friends. Check out this extensive resource for anti-racism allyship.
• Learn from and uplift voices of color. Follow creators of color and explore their sources of inspiration; support environmental organizations founded and led by people of color; read Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) authors.
• Support POC-owned local businesses. From bookstores to restaurants, support racial equity when you shop, and invest in communities (not Amazon).
• VOTE! Check your status or register here. State and local elections are critical to efforts to reform police departments and the criminal justice system, and to invest in community programs that promote equity and resiliency.