This weekend, MENTOR released a brief statement about the white supremacist rally and resulting violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. This statement, which you can read here and below, is a reflection of our collective values and a call to action.
We strive to help create an America where all young people can thrive through meaningful relationships. The White Supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia embodies hatred and hinders progress toward that ideal.
MENTOR’s commitment continues to be toward creating a movement that is inclusive of and supports all young people. By working with more than 2,000 mentoring programs around the country, we see the transformative power when all young people are valued, safe, and empowered.
Our young people are watching. Instead of using free speech to oppress others, let’s use it to build bridges.
As mentors, we have the universal ability to help young people interpret what they see and give voice to it. In this critical moment, we seek to demonstrate the mentoring movement’s role in supporting young people who are systematically oppressed because of their race and ethnicity, to denounce the people and actions that oppress them, and to encourage all mentors to have these conversations not only with their mentees, but also with their friends and families.
For mentors who may be working with youth in the wake of this violence and trauma, this guide provides helpful practices. Lastly, we would like to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident.
From: David Shapiro, President and CEO of MENTOR
2017 MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership
201 South Street, Suite 615 Boston MA 02111
617.303.4600
info@mentoring.org
