Dear Trial By Woman,
For the last week, along side of you, we’ve seen the continued impact of systemic racism in our country. Our hearts break for George Floyd, his loved ones, and the countless and often unnamed Black Americans who have been harmed, affected, killed and fallen prey to racial inequality and violence. It’s not enough to say Black Lives Matter when this generation's long cycle of oppression continues.
As white business owners, mothers, and lawyers, the questions we keep asking ourselves and each other is how can we use our privilege to take action towards a more just and equitable world?
There are heavy, enormous issues happening in our world right now. We are in the middle of a global pandemic, one which is disproportionately affecting Black Americans. In our practices, we see black mothers dying in our country at three to four the times the rate of white mothers. Persons of color are harmed and killed by medical malpractice at rates far, far greater than white patients due to institutional racism in healthcare. “Impassioned Rallies, mostly peaceful, continue across the United States”— NY Times. We believe that lawyers are leaders, and that we, all of us, are capable of making great change in our lifetimes and building a safer, better future for all of our children.
We will renew and deepen our commitment to inclusivity and are here—now and long after-- to support you and each other as we work towards an equitable, decent world.
Here are some of the resources we at Trial By Woman are drawing on to be part of the change:
Articles We Have Read/Are Reading:
In Defense of Looting
Your Black Colleagues May Look Like They’re Okay—Chances are They’re Not
The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Damage that White Onlookers Inflict
Books We Have Read/Are Reading:
How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X Kendi
White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
Online Resources:
Free Course in How to Somatically Abolish White Body Supremacy and Address Trauma by Resmaa Menakem
Beyond Inclusion, Beyond Empowerment
Parenting Resources:
31 Childrens books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance
Conscious Kid
Opportunities to Donate:
The Bail Project
NAACP Defense Fund
xx,
Courtney and Theresa
