The Junior League of Salt Lake City's Statement on Racial Justice
Dear JLSLC Members, Friends, Family, and Community Partners,
For us, the events of the past week have once again underscored the severity and violence of racism that our communities experience in the United States and across the world every day.
This has been a tragic week, where we've all watched the hurt and anger on display at the death of an unarmed and restrained Black man. And now we see cities across our country, including our own, erupting in response to racial injustice and inequality.
As Junior League Leaders and members of the Salt Lake City community, we cannot stay silent and sit on the sidelines watching as our community feels the heaviness of grief. We refuse to stay silent and passive.
The Junior League of Salt Lake City is actively committing itself to educating our members on racial injustice and challenging each other and ourselves in having the difficult conversations and learning from one another. Recently, we officially launched our own Diversity and Inclusion Task force by starting with an open Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Town Hall. We feel that it's also important to acknowledge that we are only beginning and we are still learning. We don't have all the answers yet, but we are 100% committed to doing this important work and making The Junior League of Salt Lake City a better and more inclusive organization.
In light of this, we also encourage our members to speak up with any and all ideas that can help us service this change in our own community and across the globe. We as Junior League women strive to be civic leaders in our communities. As such we should hold ourselves accountable for our own racism. We must do the work. We must be willing to be humiliated and vulnerable. We must speak out and we must be visible. We have to know when to be quiet and listen. And equally important, when to speak up.
"…the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action."
Letter from a Birmingham Jail
We must give support to our Black members – and all members of color—neighbors, friends, coworkers, partners…and as an organization be an authentic ally in this fight for justice.Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is as important as ever.
Kristin Gelegotis – JLSLC President 2019-20
Sarah Waters – JLSLC President 2020-21
Whitney Fenech – JLSLC President 2021-22