In our pursuit of equitable futures, we hold the tension of idealism of what we want to exist in the world and where we are today.
We imagine futures where nobody is given more love, or is at greater risk of harm, based on the colour of their skin, where they are from, what language they speak, what religious beliefs they hold, who they love, how they look or how they navigate the world.
“No one is free until everybody’s free.” – Frannie Lou Hamer
We know this is not the world we live in today.
We recognize that saying we stand in solidarity with others is not the same as actually doing the work to dismantle the systems of oppression which strengthen and reinforce inequities.
We understand the deep responsibility of being in good relations, especially with Black and Indigenous communities requires trust, patience, reciprocity and humility.
It is our commitment through this solidarity statement to recognize how we show up as individuals and as an organization in the work of imagining equitable futures and dedicate a portion of our resources to continuously learning, unlearning and relearning what it means to strive for equity.
We challenge our colonial conditioning to perform perfectionism in the work of solidarity and practice releasing ourselves from the characteristics of white supremacy that harms us all.
“Solidarity is an uneasy, reserved, and unsettled matter that neither reconciles present grievances nor forecloses future conflict.” (Decolonization is not a Metaphor, E. Tuck & K.W. Yang)
We honour and acknowledge the endurance required to stand up for what we believe in and to chart a path towards equitable futures. We encourage and invite our peers within the nonprofit sector to do the same.
This is a part of our ongoing work and we reflect from time to time on our blog at #thisisimaginationatwork.