Let’s Build a U.S. for All of Us: No Room for Racism is a national call to action and a growing network of white people working to counter the racism we see, hear and feel in strategies and tactics of the nations’s right wing and some in the media. As white people we see opportunities in this time to reach out to other white people in our communities to stand with communities of color to build an inclusive democracy and equality for all.
This effort came out of the South and through relationships, the effort quickly spread to a national network of over 120 people from numerous organizations, and 20+ states from every region of the U.S. We welcome you to join this effort.
We believe:
- Racism, in all its forms, robs all of us – white people and people of color – of our humanity. Let’s work together to build what Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. called “the Beloved Community.”
- Racism is used to confuse us, make us forget that our lives and futures are interconnected. Our ability to transform this country into one that works for all of us is made possible only in a racially just society. Let’s work together to put an end to white supremacy.
- Racism is not in the past but present still in all of our institutions and structures, and creates inequities for people of color. Let’s transform our institutions to be truly just for everyone.
Values Underlying our Work
- Our efforts as white people are inspired, informed and counseled by communities of color and many struggles for racial justice, and are part of a long and continuing tradition of resistance to racism.
- As white people in the United States, we are racially privileged, and because of this, we are not able to know the full impact of racism on people of color. Still, we are committed to ending racism and working with others to resolve longstanding, persistent injustice.
- We are stepping up to take our responsibility to challenge the manipulation of racist fear and dread by too many white politicians, pundits, groups, and corporations.
The following people and groups have provided core leadership for this effort:
Alliance of White Anti-Racists Everywhere – Los Angeles (AWARE-LA)
Ann Russo, Chicago, IL
Appalachian Community Fund, TN
Applied Research Center, NY, IL, CA
Barry Grossheim, Crescent Springs, KY
Bill Waal, Tools for Change, Seattle, WA
Bridgette Burge, YWCA of the Greater Triangle, Raleigh, NC
Carla Wallace, Carl Braden Memorial Center, Fairness Campaign*, Louisville, KY
Catalyst Project, San Francisco, CA
Claudia Horwitz, Stone Circles at the Stone House, Mebane, NC
dRworks, NC
Eleanor Savage, Minneapolis, MN
Gaye Evans, Appalachian Community Fund, Knoxville, TN
Highlander Research and Education Center, New Market, TN
Ingrid Chapman, Catalyst Project, San Francisco, CA
Jardana Peacock, Highlander Research and Education Center, TN and Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research*
Jeb Middlebrook, Solidarity Institute, AntiRacist 15, AWARE-LA, Los Angeles, CA
Kay Whitlock, Missoula, MT
Lenore Norrgard, Circle of the Living Earth-AIWP, Portland, OR
Leonard Zeskind, Kansas City, MO
Mab Segrest, New London, CT
Margo Adair, Tools for Change, Seattle, WA
Pam McMichael, Highlander Research and Education Center, TN
Sharon Martinas, Challenging White Supremacy, San Francisco, CA
Stone Circles, NC
Suzanne Pharr, Knoxville, TN
Tema Okun, dRworks, Durham, NC
Terry Keleher, Applied Research Center, Chicago, IL
Tools for Change, Seattle, WA
YWCA of the Greater Triangle, Raleigh, NC
* identification purposes only
