The Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence firmly condemns the continued systemic and institutional racism in our country. Black Lives Matter, and we stand in solidarity with those working here in Connecticut and across the nation to create change.
The Alliance is committed to ending violence in our communities and understands that racism and sexual violence are often inextricably linked. It is our work as advocates, now more than ever, to push for systemic changes that will impact the most vulnerable and oppressed members of our communities. We acknowledge that dismantling white supremacy is our work and that we must do better.
The Alliance is committed to educating ourselves, speaking up, and working hard to contribute to lasting changes in our work and in our nation. It is our responsibility to recognize our own biases and facilitate conversations with our staff, member centers, public officials, and law enforcement. We commit ourselves to using our platform to be a louder and stronger voice for those who have been silenced.
Black Lives Matter, and we invite you to join The Alliance in our commitment to being a catalyst for change.
What We’re Reading
| The Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance—A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power by Danielle L. McGuire |
| Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson |
| White Fragility: Why it’s so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo |
| Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History Of Racist Ideas In America by Ibram X. Kendi |
| The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander |
| Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates |
| Nobody: Casualties Of America’s War On The Vulnerable From Ferguson To Flint And Beyond by Marc LaMont Hill |
| Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper |
| Unapologetic: A Black, Queer and Feminist Mandate For Radical Movements by Charlene A. Carruthers |
| Evicted: Property And Profit In The American City by Matthew Desmond |
Connecticut Organizations to Support
| Moral Monday CT A statewide Connecticut-based coalition of individuals and organizations brought together by the power of the Movement for Black Lives. Founded by Bishop John Selders and Lady Pamela Selders. |
| Connecticut Bail Fund A statewide organization aiming to reduce the direct harms caused by criminalization, incarceration, and deportation while building power among the communities most impacted by those systems. |
| Katal Center for Health, Equity, and Justice An organization committed to ending mass criminalization, mass incarceration and the war on drugs; eliminating unwarranted racial disparities, and securing equitable communities and outcomes. |
| CTCORE – Organize Now! Dedicated to building communities of racial justice freedom fighters to dismantle systemic and structural racism in the state of Connecticut |
| Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance A team of fiercely dedicated advocates working to ensure the safe, fair, and effective treatment of youth who may become involved in the juvenile justice system. |
| American Civil Liberties Union – Connecticut A nonpartisan, non-profit membership organization that defends, promotes, and preserves individual rights and liberties under the U.S. and Connecticut constitutions in state and federal court, the General Assembly, and the state’s 169 towns and cities |
Media and Resources
Parents – How To Talk To Your Kids About Racism and the George Floyd Protests
How To Talk To Kids About Race and Racism
How to Talk to Kids About Race
Anti-Defamation League: Table Talk – Family Conversations About Current Events
Self-Care Amid Racial Injustice
The Black Community is Always in a Pandemic: How to Cope with Mental Health During This Time
11 Black People Share Big and Small Ways They’re Caring For Themselves