Hill community,
On this day after Derek Chauvin’s conviction for the murder of George Floyd, first and foremost, our hearts are with George Floyd’s family and loved ones, and with all those who courageously bore witness to his horrific death. May they find a measure of peace, hope, and relief in the verdict while they grieve their loss, process their pain, and continue their fight for justice for all Americans, and especially for Black men.
To all members of the Black community, and especially Hill’s own Black students, families, alumni, colleagues, peer educators, partners, supporters, and friends, we know that one guilty verdict – one step towards accountability – does not right the wrongs of longstanding, deep and systemic institutional racism in our country. We have much work to do, especially as white leaders and allies, and we are with you. In the words of President Biden, may this “be a moment of significant change.”
Hill outlined our Anti-Racist Commitments to our Community last summer, as our nation was pulled once more into a time of collective grief and trauma, raging against systemic and systematic violence against Black people. Since that time, we have all continued to navigate through a global pandemic, a sharp rise in hateful acts against the Asian and Asian American community, and the increasingly visible inequities pervading our education, healthcare, and justice systems. It has been a hard year for so many.
Across the country, there have also been powerful protests against injustice and affirmations that Black Lives Matter. At Hill, we have focused on growth and learning across our community as we seek to better listen to, be led by, and act alongside those who suffer from systemic inequities in our country. We have also strengthened our commitments to creating and nurturing spaces where all members of our community, regardless of identity, feel belonging, experience safety, and can thrive. But as we affirm these commitments, we also must recognize the truth that not everyone can equally access opportunities to thrive and belong, and that access is too predictably delineated by race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, or socioeconomic status. Moreover, fundamentally, too many Americans still live in fear and suffer injustice due to the color of their skin, who they love, or simply who they are or choose to be in the world.
With these commitments and truths in mind, we continue pursuing our mission to transform the 1 in 5 students with learning differences into confident, independent learners and acknowledge that we must redouble our efforts to dismantle racism and inequality in our local and global communities. Our children deserve no less.
With a mix of relief, grief, compassion, and hope, and a steadfast commitment to growing change,
Beth Anderson, Executive Director
Bryan Brander, Head of School
Lisa Guckian, Co-Chair, Board of Directors
Stacy Parker-Fisher, Co-Chair, Board of Directors