在团结

亲爱的MHS社区:

I write on behalf of Miss Hall’s School to express outrage and grief in response to the continued, senseless violence against black Americans and other people of color at the hands of police and fellow citizens. We mourn for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and their families. 和, we acknowledge that these are but three names on a list of tragic deaths that grows longer and longer by the day.

I write on behalf of Miss Hall’s School to express love and concern for MHS students of color, 有色人种的家庭, 教师, 有色人种的工作人员, 还有有色人种的校友. We condemn the overt and covert acts of white supremacy that threaten your physical, 精神, 情感安全. We bear witness, we are listening, and we stand in solidarity with you. 黑人的命很重要.

I write on behalf of Miss Hall’s School to issue a call to action to every member of the MHS community around the world. 我恳求你尽你的一份力, 个人和集体, to dismantle systems of inequality and oppression.

在过去的几天里, I have been asking myself some pointed questions, which I share with you here so that you may ask yourself the same:

• What can I do right now to show up for others?

• What do I need to learn to counteract my own deep-seated biases and assumptions?

• How can I use my voice to call out injustice, and how can I amplify the voices of others?

• When I see people in power seek to devalue, 使成兽性, 并威胁有色人种, how will I demand accountability?

• How will I leverage my privilege and influence, and expend my political/social/financial capital in direct alignment with my values?

• 当我感到不知所措, 不舒服, 或害怕, how will I resist the lure of passive silence and tap into resilience and courage instead?

• What will it take for me to make ongoing, sustained commitments to social justice, long after the current moment has passed?

While these are highly personal questions, most of my answers are rooted deeply in my work at Miss Hall’s. When it comes to social justice, I cannot separate the personal from the professional. Our mission is to inspire students to contribute boldly and creatively to the common good, and to live by the core values of respect, 荣誉, 增长, 和真实性. This mission and these values have become my own, and I am inextricably linked to the history of this school and what is to come.

在其122年的历史中, MHS面临着挑战, 剧变, 失败, 正变换. 当我们展望未来, I am committed to continuously reimagining and growing toward our goals of equity and inclusion. This begins with building strong and authentic relationships and community; extends into curriculum, 政策, and daily practices; and never ends.

在肉类, we teach our students to be courageous participants in a multicultural society, 提倡, 作为盟友行动, 创造改变. 正如我写的, students and alumnae are already activating their networks, using their platforms on social media, 抗议, and showing up in countless ways. 学生, 我非常自豪, 一如既往地, 你的无畏, 同情, 以及不可动摇的信念. As I have said, this work does not lie solely on your shoulders. You didn’t create these problems, and you can’t be expected to solve them alone. To reimagine and build a more just future will take all of us.

Some students may be wondering, is it safe to go out and protest? That is a conversation to have with your families about where you are, 你的权利是什么, and what precautions you will take to ensure your safety. As you are considering, I remind you that protest is only one form of action. 考虑, 太, the skills you have learned at MHS to mobilize others, build coalitions and partnerships, 用你的声音. 和, as soon as you are old enough to do so, VOTE for leaders who inspire you. Or better yet, BE a leader who inspires others.

Some families may be asking, how do I talk to my student about the state of the world? I encourage you to begin by listening, deeply, to your student’s feelings, questions, and fears. We can neither make the fears go away, nor can we attempt to “protect” students from the truth. Racism is a truth we all need to face. What you can do is join together in questioning, learning, and taking purposeful action. There is no script, but I can assure you that one conversation will open the door to more. If you are interested, we have shared some resources below.

In speaking to the graduating Class of 2020 on Sunday, I remarked that we are currently facing two crises — a global pandemic and the national disease of racism. While COVID-19 is a new enemy that we are racing to understand and combat, racism in the United States is intricately woven into our history and perpetuated by our laws and behaviors. 应对COVID-19, the MHS community has rallied together quickly and decisively to protect the well-being of our students and support those in need. Our response to racialized violence and injustice perpetrated against people of color must be just as strong and unified. 

献上我最美好的祝愿。

茱莉亚·希顿，校长