Dear YLI community:
We at YLI are outraged and heartbroken by the tragic death of Heather Heyer, a protester in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the trauma inflicted by white supremacists. These actions are based in the same white nationalism that every day is destructive to our country, world, and all the individual people in it. It is yet another manifestation of the institutionalized hatred that is present in our country and is often less visible than it was in Charlottesville yesterday but equally as damaging.
In light of this public display of racism, we find ourselves reflecting deeply on the meaning and purpose of our work. This work intentionally focuses on youth and communities whose voices are often silenced by white supremacy culture. We strive to build the skills youth have, and hone their power so they can mobilize their communities and make the changes they aspire to see in the world in which we all live.
YLI denounces white supremacy as we work side by side with our youth to build the world of equity, inclusion, community, and innovation, that we all deserve.