June 1, 2020
To the Brave Community:
In the midst of so much sadness, anger and frustration that is boiling up within ourselves and our nation, I write to share a very real and personal message from Ms. Janah Valenzuela, BBHS Director of Diversity and International Student Services. Through the leadership of Ms. Valenzuela and so many dedicated faculty, staff and students, Bishop Blanchet developed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Framework
last spring grounded in Catholic Social Teaching to guide us in our growth as a school community. I encourage all members of the Brave community to soak in this message of Solidarity and stand together to form a more united and loving human family.
In Peace,
Tony DeSapio
President
Dear Braves,
This weekend I saw a news clip of one of our own Brave alums being interviewed at the protest downtown. In that moment I felt immensely proud for their courage to stand up for their beliefs, but I also felt a deep sense of sadness. The sadness was sparked from knowing that we as the adults in your world have not done enough to keep you safe and that many of you, like this alum, are tired of waiting for us to make the necessary changes for a just world. It is the unfortunate truth that many of you will spend your own lifetimes working to change the way we navigate our diverse but often divided country. I need you to know that Blanchet faculty and staff are genuinely committed to continuing to educate ourselves in order to better equip our students to promote and practice solidarity, the very heart of our Catholic social teaching.
It’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to addressing such a heavy and difficult moment in our history, but it is critical that we call out injustice when we see it.
George Floyd
,
Breonna Taylor
and
Ahmaud Arbery
are among a much longer list of names of black people who have died unjustly in our country. We grieve for them, their families, and all of our black brothers and sisters. We can no longer go without explicitly saying that
BLACK LIVES MATTER
.
Many of us are wrestling with feelings of sadness, anger and confusion right now. So, know that you are not alone in these feelings. I encourage you to explore these emotions and process them with people you trust. Remember that your teachers and staff members are here for you too, and while we may not have all the answers, we are with you in the desire to learn more, do better and live out how we can truly love our neighbors.
While many of you may have begun digging into ways you can make a difference, I encourage you to also consider steps beyond thoughts, prayers, hashtags and social media posts. Catholic Social Teaching calls us to solidarity with one another: We are one human family, and we are responsible for each other.
So, if we are responsible for one another, what are we willing to commit to?
Are we willing to examine our own implicit biases?
Are we willing to listen to black and brown voices?
Are we willing to learn more about systemic racism?
Are we willing to use our privilege to work for social justice?
Your Blanchet teachers, administrators and staff are here for you. We are committed to supporting you wherever you are in this process. To our black students:
We see you. We hear you. We stand with you.
I know last fall feels so far away, but I want to recall this Mayan poem we prayed together as one community. It seems even more relevant now.
In Lak’Ech
Tú eres mi otro yo
Si te hago daño a ti,
Me hago daño a mi mismo.
Si te amo y respeto,
Me amo y respeto yo.
You are my other me.
If I do harm to you,
I do harm to myself.
If I love and respect you,
I love and respect myself
In Love and Solidarity,
Ms. Valenzuela
(In collaboration with the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Team, Ms. Newman and Ms. Christensen)
