NCSMH Friends, Families, and Colleagues:

This week brought highs and lows that have surely impacted us all as well as those we serve. We were heartened by the election victory of Reverend Raphael Warnock, making him Georgia’s first Black senator. Reverend Warnock’s role as the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the home parish of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a monumental reflection of the advances spurred by Civil Rights efforts in Georgia and across the nation.

Then, we were confronted by brazen domestic terrorism that unfolded in the US Capitol on Wednesday. The intent of the mob was to disenfranchise the votes of millions of citizens. They brought destruction and violence into the Capitol, a clear affront to democracy and civility. Seeing the juxtaposition of language, show of force, and consequences in how these White protestors were treated as opposed to how the Black and Brown protestors were treated during Black Lives Matters protests is yet another example of White supremacy and privilege, and is a disgrace. Below are just a small number of the countless displays of deep-seated racism that is embedded in many of our institutions and in our society:

Threats of 10 years in prison for protestors in Portland if there were any destruction and yet little mention of consequences for individuals who stormed the capitol and destroyed property and put lives in danger; limited police presence and display of force versus imposing armed military presence during BLM; words of love from the President and use of the word “patriots” instead of threats and the use of the words “rioters or thugs”; turning a blind eye when the American Flag at the Capitol was torn down and replaced with a Trump flag versus outrage for individuals who kneeled during the anthem as a form of protest; seeing protestors scaling walls, breaking windows, ransacking offices, and then walking safely away even carrying stolen property versus pepper spray to disperse BLM protestors and serious injury and death to some.

The egregious threats to our democracy and the inherent racism in the response to the riots in the Capitol are disheartening to us and to the youth and families we serve. We can offer a safe place to discuss the events and to be a part of the solution for a more civil and just society moving forward. We want to share some resources that can be used for discussions and to support the well-being of youth and families.