BY JENNI NEWBURY ROSS
PALS CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
On Monday May 16th I shared an email with all PALS staff as a reflection after the hate-filled, horrific killings over the weekend in Buffalo, NY. We at PALS know there are many, many people across the country this week, and always, that are living in fear because of the division, racism, hatred, and separation that exists in our country. Today I am sharing this letter with the PALS community, as we need the full commitment of the entire PALS family to help eradicate hate and violence and build a world of belonging for all people.
A letter from Jenni Newbury Ross:
Good Morning Team,
I woke up this morning thinking about the attack in Buffalo over the weekend. I'm sure many of you are struggling to process the news as well.
I'm filled with so many emotions - anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, sadness. Most distressingly perhaps is the lack of shock. Our world is so broken, to the point that the brutal massacre of innocent lives has become common enough that the first reaction is to compare it to other killings at a similar time period, with a similar target, or a similar death count.
I'm thinking a lot about what it means to be safe. We often share that PALS is a safe, welcoming place. I believe we try to be. I know we're working every day on building a community that can be those things, that is committed to growing and learning and being those things. And yet I think that when a grocery store is no longer safe, how can anything be? I think about the Black community processing this devastation, sharing this news with their families, grieving the pain and fear that comes with an attack like this. How does PALS show up specifically for our Black neighbors and community? How do we step into a world of extreme racism, especially as a majority white organization? How do we build trust, and relationships, and be allies and advocates to show we are a safe place?
I think about the shooter, an 18 year old boy who was bored enough during the pandemic to be radicalized to views of hatred and devaluation of members of the human race. We've talked about the mental health of our participants, the need for people to have an experience that shows them the capacity and depth of human value. I want to believe that we are working very hard to find 18-year-olds and invite them to camp this summer so that they can experience PALS as a place of light and life that they can bring to their own community. I want them to see that inclusion and belonging can exist, and that it is worth fighting for.
I know that systemic racism and injustice have deep roots in evil far beyond our capacity to solve. But I know that we are a team that sees the broken, acknowledges injustice, and loves others deeply.
Please do what you need to do today to hold space in your head, in your heart, in your family for processing these events. Be present for each other, and reach out if you need anything.
PALS love,
Jenni