[Wsssc] FW: A Love Letter

[Claire Peinado]

Hi Folks,

Great to see everyone today.  I'm forwarding along the letter I sent to my division yesterday morning (below), as well as a follow up list of resources (attached) we sent at the end of yesterday.  I've also attached the letter from our President.  I can upload these to the WSSSC website too.

Take good care of yourselves,
Claire

From: Claire Peinado
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 7:10 AM
To: District Student Services 365 <districtstudentservices365 at skagit.edu>
Cc: DISTRICT Cabinet 365 <DISTRICTCabinet365 at skagit.edu>
Subject: A Love Letter
Importance: High

Dear Colleagues,

I write to you this morning with a heavy heart.  Our nation is in turmoil as we address both overt and systemic racism against our Black community in particular, and communities of color more generally.  Words are an insufficient salve to the pain and suffering so many in our community are experiencing, but I find it imperative to say something about how we, as an SVC Student Services division, can work toward a more humane, equitable world.  I want to explicitly recognize the injustices our communities of color continue to face and, as noted in Dr. Keegan's reflection to staff and faculty, call us in to the transformative work that is required of us.  And I want to lean on the power of community-even as we work remotely from kitchen tables, bedrooms, living rooms, and offices-to deepen our understanding of antiracism and our unique positions within this work.

So much of our brokenness lies in the educational systems that helped shape us.  Many of us white folks feel unskilled in antiracism work-I believe this is a result of a system that was designed to privilege white supremacy in ways that did not require us to learn otherwise, and to normalize the experience of privilege.  But the time is now.  There is a danger in the paralysis of inaction or fear of making mistakes, and I am committed to creating spaces that call us in to deeper learning and corrective behaviors, and to be bold in our accountability and compassion with each other.

For our staff and faculty of color, I understand the urgency of this work-it is centuries overdue and small victories toward justice can feel like a drop in the bucket given the ongoing realities of injustice.  I am committed to holding space for your experiences and voices, to proactively intervene when and where I have opportunities to do so, and to resist complacency.

I want to acknowledge that we have begun this work together through our Learning Communities, and we will continue.  I also want to acknowledge that antiracist work happens at the individual and systemic levels.  Each of these dimensions are valuable and critical for truly transformative change to take root, and I stand in solidarity with each of you to move forward, together.  I welcome your ideas, both big and small, in how to integrate these changes in our strategic organizational development and planning.  Take good care of yourselves and each other.

With love,
Claire

Claire Peinado, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Services
Skagit Valley College
p: 360.416.7961
appt: 360.416.7663

All Skagit Valley College locations are physically closed, but we are doing business via remote operations. Please visit www.skagit.edu/remote<http://www.skagit.edu/remote> for more information.

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From: Claire Peinado <Claire.Peinado at skagit.edu>
Subject: Resources and Next Steps
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2020 23:32:49 +0000
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From: Thomas Keegan <Thomas.Keegan at skagit.edu>
Subject: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest
Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2020 05:19:11 +0000
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