June 19, 2020

CSEA Chapter 289 Solidarity and Anti-Racist Statement

Dear Employees,
 
The membership of CSEA Chapter 289 stands in solidarity with our Community, Black Lives Matter SB, Colleagues, and Students across the nation. We hear you, we see you, and we stand united, we feel your pain.  We are all in this world together, and it’s time to take a stand as one and work for justice and change. As Union members, we understand what “strength in numbers'' truly means.

We acknowledge the frustration and anger that has resulted from police brutality, injustice, and racism in our communities and institutions.  People of color have endured systemic racism that permeates institutions in our country.  We stand in solidarity with our Black community in the wake of the horrific racist murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others.  These acts of violence--both recently and throughout history--are instances of a longstanding pattern of violence suffered by Black people in this country at the hands of law enforcement and white privilege.

We acknowledge that change will not happen overnight, and a statement alone is not enough to bring about transformative action. But it is a firm first step towards necessary evolution.  All of us need to do our own anti-racism work.  Unions historically have served as agents of change dedicated to protecting the rights of the disenfranchised.  As such, we will advocate for opportunities for our members to engage in ongoing anti-racist dialogues and actions that will help us learn from each other and grow as a community.
 
We ask the Executive Board to implement an ongoing workgroup of CSEA members to engage in equity-focused change in our community--for CSEA, students, and the faculty we serve.  We seek anti-racism training, meaningful discussions, and dialogue that results in tangible, measurable action. We must come together to help dismantle systemic racism.  
 
In Solidarity,
 
CSEA Chapter 289