Demand Kirby School Statement that Black Lives Matter

Chad activist having a stand Vs Virgin neoliberal

Black lives matter.

as an institution that gets off on its own wokeness this should’ve happened weeks ago. maybe give this a shred of that same energy that all those quirky spirit days get. if you have the time to remind us to wear dumb socks and spin around and sing a song you have the time to say the black lives matter. christ’s sake you guys spoke out more about net neutrality that the lives of what is an entirely too small of your “incredibly diverse and inclusive” student body.

Black Lives Matter. Kirby is an overwhelmingly white place, which talking to my black former classmates and friends was a really isolating experience at times For them. Kirby has a lot to improve on in terms of diversity, and not making a statement now sets a precedent of keeping the status quo. We don’t need status quo we need action and a list of ways in which Kirby can improve so that it’s an amazing experience for everyone.

As a former Senior Class President I was appalled to hear that Kirby has not made a public commitment to honoring and protecting black lives at this time. This would be the BARE MINIMUM. What should follow is concrete, continual action on the part of administration to address the ongoing racism within educational institutions that have been raised by black students and educators all over the country. Start with Kirby, start with listening to Black educators, your Black students, and Black alum. Then, take their words seriously and look critically at where they can be applied on your own turf. They can. To the faculty and former faculty, many of whom are as upset with the silence I am, thank you for supporting student action and inquiry around racial justice during my time there. I remember our sit-ins during 2016 as a particularly potent moment in my education, where I got to listen to and sit in solemnity with my black and brown peers as they led us in dialogue and demonstrations against the very same status quo we are facing today. Silence is violence, on many levels. The one I am responding to today is that this inaction on the part of Kirby school puts a nail in the coffin regarding the hopes my black classmates might have had that our little school cared about their well-being more than the administrative risks it takes to do the right thing. If you fear negative responses and drama in response to affirming that Black Lives Matter at an institutional level, that should be enough right there to tell you that it’s worth it.

small brain: being racist Medium brain: being not racist Big brain: being an ally Galaxy brain: realizing that your privilege has granted you the option to engage racism Some resources for further activism: Whether using these resources or others, please take some time to see what you can do to help, for it is in all of our power to do so. BLM master resource list: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ Marcus Malone gofundme: https://t.co/XYdOMFDC4C?amp=1 Dan Gregory Medical bill fund: https://t.co/8WpOqsYPo7?amp=1 Petition to declare kkk as a terrorist organization https://t.co/jzkrptOItd?amp=1 Petition to reopen Kendrick Johnson’s case https://t.co/MYsw3WV901?amp=1 Petition master list: https://t.co/l4C0mytvjI?amp=1 Hi all, hope you're as well and safe as you can be during this incredibly challenging time. First, I’d like to clarify that I am by no means attacking this petition’s intentions, challenging it’s participants in their integrity, or chastising anyone for commenting on this petition. Love from the bottom of my heart to you all. Second, I’d like to clarify that my intention in posting is to initiate a thoughtful dialogue about the movement, our collective responsibility to it, our personal responsibility to it, and the ways we can be most effective in our protest of systemic inequality. The Kirby community is often described as an echo-chamber or microcosm. With a mostly liberal student population, we believe that we stan for equality and acceptance. While our goals should be celebrated, the dangers of this echo effect should not be ignored- for some cries ring louder than others, louder perhaps in some instances than the voices that should instead be amplified. This is often the case when a dialogue about race is being held within a classroom of mostly white students. We all hopefully agree that black lives matter, and it’s mostly just taken for granted that we aren’t racist. This assumption maybe acc

small brain: racist medium brain: not racist big brain: being an ally galaxy brain: realizing that your privilege granted you the option to engage racism Just a few resources for further activism: Please take some time to see what you can do to help, for it is in all of our power to do so. BLM resource master list: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ Marcus Malone gofundme: https://t.co/XYdOMFDC4C?amp=1 Dan Gregory Bail Fund: https://t.co/8WpOqsYPo7?amp=1 Declare the KKK a terrorist organization: https://t.co/jzkrptOItd?amp=1 Reopen Kendrick Johnsons' Case: https://t.co/MYsw3WV901?amp=1 Another petition master-list: https://t.co/l4C0mytvjI?amp=1 First, I’d like to clarify that I am by no means attacking this petition’s intentions, challenging it’s participants in their integrity, or chastising anyone for commenting on this petition. Love from the bottom of my heart to you all. Second, I’d like to clarify that my intention in posting is to initiate a thoughtful dialogue about the movement, our collective responsibility to it, our personal responsibility to it, and the ways we can be most effective in our protest of systemic inequality. It is often recognized that the Kirby community can be described an echo-chamber or microcosm. With a mostly liberal student population, we believe that we stan for equality and acceptance. While our goals should be celebrated, the dangers of this echo effect should not be ignored- for some cries ring louder than others, louder perhaps in some instances than the voices that should instead be amplified. This is often the case when a dialogue about race is being held within a classroom of mostly white students. We all hopefully agree that black lives matter and it’s mostly just taken for granted that we aren’t racist. This assumption maybe accounts for intentional discrimination, but not the societal foundations upon which these discriminatory traditions are transmitted to each of us

This school has immense privilege and has often ignored the issues faced by POC and I think it’s only appropriate to donate to BLM.

As part of the Kirby core values, inclusively and community as well as we all belong are a part of what makes our Kirby community. To not stand with Black Lives Matter would be to turn our back on what values make our community so special. Our Kirby community NEEDS to publicly support BLM.

Y u gotta be told

this is painfully overdue

It’s something that needs to be said. Hope you are safe and healthy.

Kirby’s culture needs to change and acknowledge the “colorblind” mindset, because it IS A FORM OF RACISM! As a former Black student it’s disappointing to have been/still be let down from a high praised academic white institution.

Kirby always advertises their “inclusive, diverse community” but hasn’t even said a word about this issue. I know that admin cares about what’s going on in the nation right now, and it’s their responsibility to comment on the recent events. Otherwise, they are perpetuating the systemic racism in this country and being hypocritical. Sorry if this hurts anyone’s feeling, but it is the truth

I am a Kirby alum and am saddened to hear that the school I attended for six years has not publicly shown support for the Black Lives Matter movement. All Kirby students, particularly Black students in this predominantly white institution, should feel like their school values their lives and their futures.