Our Commitment to Racial Justice

Welcome to SAYA’s Anti-Racism Resource page, providing information and links to resources that can assist in working against racism in our communities.

OUR POSITION AND OUR COMMITMENT:

In the days and weeks after the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, we at SAYA have had numerous conversations about our role in addressing anti-Black racism. At first, we were reluctant to make any public statement, not because we do not believe in the movement or the rising prevalence of systemic racism, but because we wanted to leave room for the voices that most needed to be heard, the voices of Black people and organizations. After some reflection, however, and candid discussions with our staff and our Board who continue to push us to do and be better, we have decided that no one should be silent on these issues. We stand in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives, and reiterate our commitment to our Black participants and their families, as well as the community at large.

It is our responsibility, and the responsibility of all South Asians, to help undo the anti-Black racism that exists within the South Asian community. As an organization that works with youth from a variety of backgrounds, we understand that systemic racism affects communities differently. However, some of the greatest unity we have seen is around the table in classrooms at SAYA, where shared camaraderie and shared experiences, both good and bad, among different races have led to loyalty and advocacy on behalf of each other. Our students continue to teach us, and their solidarity may be the most meaningful of these lessons.

As we look to the future, we know that there is a lot of work ahead of us and we plan to build on what we have been doing. We recognize the importance of our staff having a strong foundation in the history of systemic oppression and institutional racism in this country. We will invest in staff learning through more opportunities to participate in anti-bias training and time set aside on a regular basis for shared readings and reflection. Through these efforts, we will work towards building an organizational understanding of the values that should underpin all our programming.

We aim to deepen our teaching practices through the language we use, and add more Black history, literature, advocacy, and narratives to our core programming. We will facilitate ongoing student workshops that address and unpack anti-Black sentiment in our South Asian communities and how we can build solidarity across racial lines. Our website includes some readings and resources we will be using at SAYA.

This work is difficult and there will be a learning curve, but SAYA pledges our commitment to continue on this journey, and to put in the time, energy, and effort that contributes to change. To our Black youth, staff, families and community: your voices matter; your rights matter; your lives matter.