This year, the Fourth of July arrives amid protests against racism and police brutality toward Black Americans and a focus on the role white supremacy has always played in the United States. As these resources show, this holiday and its symbols are tied to a long tradition of protest and demands that our nation make good on its promise of freedom for all.
June 28th marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, when a diverse group of LGBTQ people fought back against a police raid. These resources can help you understand where this event fits on the timeline of LGBTQ history, why it matters and how you can bring the story to your classroom any time of year.
June 28 marks the anniversary of the start of the Stonewall uprisings. Largely led by Black and Brown trans women and gender nonconforming people of color, protesters demonstrated against routine police violence, discrimination and dehumanization. This year, we’re celebrating Pride by celebrating the intersectional history of the LGBTQ movement—and the intersectionality of current movements in support of Black lives and LGBTQ rights.
A pandemic rages on, police violence continues to affect Black communities, and this school year is like no other. We know anxiety and burnout have been commonplace this year, and we hope you can find time to pause to practice self-care. These resources can help you reflect, rest and refresh so that you can be present for yourself and your students in 2021.
This week, police body camera video was released showing a 6-year-old pulled from her classroom and arrested. In September, when this event occurred, we shared resources about ending traumatic practices that hurt students of color. With this back in the news, we’re focusing on systems that disproportionately harm students of color and offering resources to help disrupt those systems. We hope you’ll read, share and do the same.