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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Hi Folks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Take good care of yourselves,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Claire<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Claire Peinado <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 3, 2020 7:10 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> District Student Services 365 <districtstudentservices365@skagit.edu><br>
<b>Cc:</b> DISTRICT Cabinet 365 <DISTRICTCabinet365@skagit.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> A Love Letter<br>
<b>Importance:</b> High<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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
<i>something</i> 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.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With love,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Claire <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claire Peinado, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vice President for Student Services<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Skagit Valley College<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">p: 360.416.7961<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">appt: 360.416.7663<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">All Skagit Valley College locations are physically closed, but we are doing business via remote operations. Please visit
<a href="http://www.skagit.edu/remote">www.skagit.edu/remote</a> for more information.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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