The ideals of America: a response to January 6th

“The ideals of America remain unrealized. We are witnessing the consequences of intentional racist policies, practices and beliefs that have been destroying black lives for centuries.”  

These words, taken from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation’s June 2020 statement of solidarity, could not be more relevant today.  The violence at the US capitol on January 6th, 2021 was an act of terror against democracy, and a clear and brazen manifestation of the logical outcomes of white supremacy and patriarchy.

Wednesday’s events shook us all personally and professionally, as they did  people and governments across the globe. But they should not have come as a surprise.  Our country is a victim of its own long history of embracing, enacting, and rejecting responsibility for racist policies, systems, and racialized outcomes. It is time for us to own it so we can change it. 

Democracy, freedom, and justice for all – the ideals of America, not yet realized though cherished by people of all persuasions - are under attack.  Attacks fueled by racism and racist systems.  This week we saw plainly how systems designed to privilege one group while disadvantaging and excluding others harm us all. True, participatory democracy is an antithesis to racism and other systems of oppression.

At Sewall, we believe the well-being of people, animals and the environment are inextricably linked.  We believe it is our responsibility to challenge the systems and practices that have been historically unfair and harmful to our state’s people, animals, and environment. To do this, we must acknowledge the power we hold and work to wield it responsibly and to intentionally expand access to power for communities most harmed by our current racist and misogynist structures.

As a foundation we have resources and power and limited accountability. Philanthropic work is in the service of society.  But philanthropy can easily become complicit in the harms done to communities by coopting social movements, by silencing those who make us uncomfortable, and by remaining silent ourselves. We must make clear where we stand: we stand for justice, for healing and the wellbeing of all.   

What can we do in defense of democracy, racial justice, and equity? We must lean into the discomfort of this time and the vulnerability that transformative change necessitates. Our missions cannot be met as long as we allow our social fabric to be shredded torn by violence perpetrated by white supremacists. We must all take responsibility for the state of our society and commit to real and lasting change. 

What happened on January 6th did not come out of nowhere.  It was not the doing of a single person or group, but of individuals, institutions, and systems that have eroded democratic principles and processes over a period of decades.  It will take intentional, courageous, and multi-pronged efforts, immediately and over the long-term, to back us away from the precipice

At the Sewall Foundation we will continue to

  • Confront the painful aspects of Maine’s history and work towards healing from the scars and trauma of genocidal colonization, anti-black racism, anti-immigrant actions and policies.  

  • Use our voice to call out violence, injustice, and harm.    

  • Deepen our understanding of racial equity and challenge ourselves to live more fully in it.

  • Use all our available resources to elevate anti-racist work, internally and externally.

  • Give more where there is greater need and listen more to voices that have been silenced.

  • Change broken, unfair systems and support new, just, and sustainable ones.  

  • Name and abandon our own behaviors and assumptions that perpetuate unjust and racist power structures and speak out when we see those behaviors and assumptions operating around us.

  • Not turn a blind eye to those who suffer from unjust power structures that preserve our comfort at their expense.

Hate and violence destroy communities. Our country and our state have a legacy of violence against indigenous communities, black communities, and other communities of color. We must do all that we can to dismantle the systems that maintain and feed these systems of oppression and work with affected communities to create a more just world, a more just Maine.

Laura Dover