Between us and liberation
This message was included in the November 6th, 2020 newsletter for Forward Through Ferguson, which also featured the launch of the first grant cycle for the Racial Healing+Justice Fund.
For many of us, this election was a forced encounter with just how far is left between us and liberation. A sobering reminder of the work that remains between where we are as a country — who we are right now — and a just and equitable future. There’s a mental and emotional chasm of difference between knowing something and being directly confronted with its essence.
If you’re like me, a year at the confluence of long-simmering and more recent, frequent disasters has been a taxing stressor. I fault no one for feeling emotional and drained. While resilience alone is not the holy grail it’s often lifted to be, there is undeniable fortitude, power, wit, and skill in how we’ve shown up during a year that featured quadruple pandemics. (COVID; police brutality, systemic racism, and white supremacy; climate change; and a widespread degradation of our aspirational though never-fully-secured democracy)
I’m thankful for the grounded, anchoring power of the St. Louis community of Racial Equity advocates as we directly confront the reality of our region, our home state of Missouri, and our country. This election is a landmark but not a defining feature on a journey for justice that began long before and continues on today, tomorrow, and next year. We learn, we make necessary adjustments, and we keep going Forward Through.
But with the pain, there were several local ballot initiatives that provide glimmers of hope and evidence of the powerful organizing happening here in St. Louis including Prop R’s funding for early childhood education and Prop D’s necessary reforms to our democracy.
I’m particularly excited about today’s release of the first grant cycle for the community-designed and community-led Racial Healing and Justice Fund, which we developed in partnership with the Deaconess Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, and the InPower Institute. This fund will invest $2 million into the St. Louis community over the next three years. The work continues.
