A Moment of Truth

Photo by Nour Chamoun

Dear Program Colleagues,

It is time to stand up and act. In addition to the coronavirus pandemic and government unrest, we’re witnessing an unprecedented reckoning with racism that has unveiled long existing inequities and corruption. The “Liquefy” domestic violence and sexual assault state programs who participated in the Transformative Movement Leadership work group – led by Norma Wong – have collectively chosen to take this opportunity to interrupt racialized violence.

Click here for a statement drafted by Kelly Miller of the Idaho Domestic/Sexual Violence Coalition; Kate McCord of the Virginia Action Alliance; and with support from Nan Stoops of the Washington State Domestic Violence Coalition and Resonance Network. Additionally, we have much gratitude for the consultative voices of women of color leaders: Beth Ritchie, Mimi Kim, and Alexis Flanagan. Their support for our work has been vitally important.

A small handful of coalitions were asked to “test” the statement and you will see their existing signatures on the document, including ICADV and IowaCASA.

The intent of Liquefy leadership is to distribute this letter to national partners and for us to send it to our own member organizations and partners. The statement will also be distributed to organizations and groups that we support and want to build strategic partnership with—Black Lives Matter, Movement for Black Lives, the Just Beginnings Collaborative, and the Just Practice Collective, to name a few—as well as emerging statewide partners. The statement serves as a foundation for our individual and collective programs, policy, and partnership work for the years, even decades, ahead.

For primarily white lead state coalitions, this is a bold statement. We know that it will require much work and a specific plan for accountability. We also know that not everyone will support what we are saying but believe that in this moment, it is imperative to stand in a position of what is possible.

With gratitude for each of you,

Beth Barnhill, Executive Director Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Laurie Schipper, Executive Director

Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence

To view the statement, click here.