Letter of Solidarity from the Tufts Office of Sustainability

Dear Sustainability Community,  

It has been devastating to watch the events of the past few weeks unfold. Such violence towards Black people is abominable and must be brought to an end. There must be justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and the many others whose lives have been taken or disastrously altered by police violence.  

We, as a primarily white staff, understand the inherent privilege assigned to us by a broken system. While we cannot feel the pain that the Black community is experiencing, please know that we at the Tufts Office of Sustainability stand in solidarity with the Black community.   

As the Sustainability Community at Tufts, we must recognize that Environmentalism is not separate from Racial Justice. The two are, in fact, intertwined and many POC communities are affected by Environmental Racism. As environmental stewards, we must work harder to ensure equity and justice for marginalized communities in our movement and our greater society. We must practice Intersectional Environmentalism, by advocating not only for our planet, but also for the people who inhabit it. There can be no Environmental Justice without Racial Justice.   

It is time for us to do better. We must educate ourselves on anti-racist practices, Environmental Justice, and Racial Justice. We have compiled a list of resources to serve as an educational guide and starting point for White and non-black POC to begin their learning. At the Office of Sustainability, we are participating in weekly learning sessions to increase our anti-racist knowledge. But this is only the first step in ameliorating the system.   

The next step is to take action. Go out and vote for leaders who will help us create a more equitable system, engage your family and friends in conversation about the inequities against Black people and why this must end, support black-owned businesses and organizations, contact your representatives, offer your money, time, and supplies to those in need. There are many ways you can participate but know that while this journey may not be easy, it is necessary.  

We invite our audiences to send us educational content or action items that we can both learn from and disseminate to the sustainability community. We also ask that you please let us know how we can support you in this moment.   

In solidarity,  

The Tufts Office of Sustainability