FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2022
MN350 Commitment to Anti-Racism
Racism and white supremacist behavior exist within MN350. This toxicity takes the form of microaggressions, tokenization, undermining, and lack of support of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) staff, leaders and volunteers. Soft racism and toxic masculinity are also present. MN350 BIPOC staff and board members, with good and kind hearts, have called this out to their white counterparts.
This is not the MN350 that the Earth and all of her creatures require; this is unacceptable. The MN350 white board members, speaking on behalf of the organization that caused this harm, acknowledge and apologize for the harm and trauma that our BIPOC colleagues have suffered.
We, the entire MN350 board, commit to stopping this harm now and working towards creating a better organization. We must make MN350 a healthy organization, welcoming and supportive of all, especially BIPOC people.
With guidance from BIPOC staff and board members, MN350 is enacting a robust set of plans to confront these wrongs and become a better partner and ally. With BIPOC guidance, the following actions have been set in motion; these are the first steps in a journey that will last for the life of this organization:
- MN350 staff and board members are engaged in formal, year-long, anti-racism training. As part of this training, accountable, individual anti-racism learning plans are being developed and implemented.
- MN350 will expand its anti-racism training to include its members and volunteers. We will enact a zero tolerance policy for racism that is coupled with healing justice. We will work to provide a welcoming environment to all.
- MN350 BIPOC and white staff and board members have committed to heal our disconnectedness by meeting quarterly for conversation and reflection; we seek to make MN350 a more welcoming place to all and to do so with individual and group accountability. We are creating anti-racism policies to ensure that MN350 provides a safe environment where people can talk openly, honestly and safely about their experiences.
- We are committed to frontline community-led organizing. We will also develop policies that reflect a shift from being “volunteer-led” to being “community-led and volunteer-powered” in order to center the leadership of the communities most impacted by systemic racial and environmental injustice.
While this recent awareness and refocus for MN350 does not pause our work, we are engaging in this deep introspection and action in order to align everything we do with our values. We commit to authentically becoming the kind of bold, multi-racial, transformative movement that we know is necessary to further racial and climate justice.
We are committed to keeping everyone in our community updated on our process and progress. If you have questions or comments in the meantime, please email us at anti-racism@mn350.org.
With resolve,
Tee McClenty, MN350 Executive Director
MN350 Board of Directors
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ABOUT
MN350 is a statewide group working to make Minnesota a national leader in a just transition to a clean energy economy that centers around racial justice. MN350 Action is its political and advocacy arm.