George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, Ahmaud Arbery, Manuel Ellis, and countless other Black people deserve justice. Amidst a pandemic that is rapidly taking Black lives and economic collapse that is threatening the survival of countless Black-led organizations, the systemic racism that was built and reinforced over centuries is undeniable. The systemic devaluing and dehumanizing of Black lives that leads to death, trauma, and despair must end. It is incumbent on all of us to not just fight for Black lives, but to fight for Black liberation.
“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be antiracist.”
– Angela Davis
The Seattle Evaluation Association is in the process of deciding the many actions we will take to actively promote antiracism, dismantle white supremacy and policing, and champion BIPOC evaluators. We welcome your input (email us at evalseattle@gmail.com) and we will update everyone as our work evolves.
Here’s where we are already clear:
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Black lives matter. Black women’s lives matter. Black trans lives matter.
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We stand in solidarity with activists and protesters demanding justice.
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We reject narratives that focus on the destruction of property to undermine righteous anger and the necessary pressure to realize change. We condemn structural racism in all its forms—and we know that we have not yet centered antiracism in our organization. We invite you to keep us accountable as we commit to do better.
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We will use both our organizational power and our platforms to actively promote antiracism in the practice of evaluation and in our communities, amplify Black evaluators and other Black voices speaking out on these issues, and partner with Black people in the communities where we live and work.
Beyond these statements, we must commit ourselves to action. As a first step, we encourage you to read and use the resources:
We are committed to the lifelong work of antiracism and encourage you to join us in taking action.
In solidarity,
The Seattle Evaluation Association
