When area schools announced in March that they would be closing for several weeks, White Hawk parents responded as we often do: We organized ways to keep the kids engaged, outdoors, happy and safe. We took turns with a group of kids, giving the other parents some time off–walks to the woods, story times by the fire, games and more.
Within a matter of days, however, the severity of the situation became more obvious and we abandoned these plans, forcing ourselves into a similar quarantine that most other families have since also undertaken.
As time has progressed, we have followed guidance from public health experts and government officials, slowly allowing the kids to play together–reminding them, when necessary, about the need to “keep distance” (a sad motto of our current reality). And always masked.
And more recently, of course, as a nation we have had to process the heartbreaking murders of three African Americans: George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. The protests and riots that followed have forced a long overdue reckoning across the country with our centuries of failure to treat People of Color in this country equitably. As we noted recently on our Facebook page:
Racial justice and climate justice are deeply connected to one another–it is communities of color and those that have historically been marginalized that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate disruption (e.g., low-income housing often located in flood zones). White Hawk Ecovillage seeks to contribute to the emergence of a world that is more sustainable and just, that holds sacred all of our planet’s resources, from our trees, water and air to every creature and every human being, all of whom deserve to live healthy lives free of fear.
We therefore stand in solidarity with those protesting against racial inequality in the USA in general and the violent murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by local police in particular. The time has come to end the exploitation and abuse of humans and of our planet, and to proactively and consciously embrace a vision of true equality. Our hearts go out to all those who have suffered as a result of our country’s deep-rooted racist history; we as individuals, and increasingly as a community, are committed to doing the anti-racist work necessary to help overcome that ugly reality.
A common thread throughout both of these challenges has been our reliance on each other, our connections and our moments of reflection to learn, understand, process and cope. We have conversations daily–from a distance!–helping each other make sense of these challenging times: providing hope, challenging preconceived notions and sharing love and support.
With best wishes and much gratitude,
White Hawk Ecovillage
|