Dear friends,
The deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbrey, and George Floyd are the most recent of many Black lives that have been taken as a result of the institutional racism, anti-blackness, and culture of white supremacy that are woven into all aspects of our society. We recognize and express our condolences to the families and communities that have experienced profound loss due to systemic racism and anti-black sentiments permeating throughout our nation.
As an organization committed to renewing the health and wholeness of our communities through biodynamic agriculture, we know that racism has been bound to agriculture in the United States from colonial times to the present and that transforming the practice and culture of agriculture must include addressing the historical and contemporary injustices faced by our fellow human beings.
The deep need for healing in the social and political realms is intimately connected to our individual and collective relationships with food, land, and spirit. We stand in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) who have suffered and continue to suffer tremendous injustices and the impacts of racism and oppression in our society.
As an historically white organization, we are in the beginning stages of integrating principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice throughout our work. We recognize that there are many organizations that are working at the front lines of creating healthier and more just food futures for Black Americans, and we encourage you to learn about and consider supporting some of them.
We are continually striving to listen, learn, and deepen our understanding and practice of social justice, equity, and inclusion. We invite you to join us in this ongoing journey. It is essential that we proactively respond to racism, even when BIPOC are not present. One tool we have recently been using for deepening our understanding and capacity for action is the Food Solutions New England 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge; you can access the resources from the challenge year-round to learn at your own pace, individually or with others.
The work of cultivating justice and healing needs long-term commitment from us all. It will require patience, humility, courage, and willingness to make mistakes. In the coming weeks and months, we intend to share more resources to help you learn with us, and create intentional space for our community to come together to explore the intersections of biodynamics, agriculture, and justice, and how we can take steps to make positive change as a biodynamic community.
We hope you will join us in listening, learning, and taking action.
The Staff of the Biodynamic Association
Add new comment