Last week, a violent mob of armed insurrectionists attempted to overtake the U.S. Capitol and overturn the lawful results of the presidential election. The aggressive white terrorism at the core of this act, rooted in a history of oppressive violence and white supremacy as old as our country, has been intentionally cultivated at the highest levels of our government over the past 4 years. Whether through the representation of entire ethnic groups as dangerous, the violent separation of children and families at the border, or the prevention of millions of refugees from fleeing dangerous circumstances in their homeland, violence—and the threat of violence—has always been a central organizing principle of this administration. 

In times of crisis, there is a national tendency to react, rather than respond. As a country, we are at a uniquely vulnerable point—history led us to this moment, but the future is not yet determined. What happens next is of critical importance. If we are to heal our country, we must first commit to justice and accountability, and a true reckoning of the white supremacy that shapes our systems and institutions. We must organize around transformative systems and ways of being in relationship with each other and with the earth while centering the voices of the BIPOC leaders who are already actively working to take us down this path. In our dedication to equity and justice for the children of Vermont and everywhere, we stand in solidarity with these efforts and with all those who strive to radically reimagine our world and what it can become.