We work hard for health, safety and well being through our mission to enhance community, economy, and environment through reuse and toward our vision for a just, resilient and waste-free world. Now, more than ever, is a time to focus on the importance of community. We serve multiple, diverse, and beautiful communities right here in Tompkins County. We embrace and stand with our communities of color, as we struggle together for justice and equality.
Finger Lakes ReUse takes a strong anti-racist stand through our programs with goals to reduce inequalities and we recognize there is much more work to be done, as this is urgent, constant work that cannot and should not stop – within our organization and beyond. Racism is not an issue explicitly in our mission statement. It is not enough to simply say, “I’m not racist.”
Be anti-racist with us and begin by becoming more educated, starting with these resources. Get involved with local groups like SURJ (Showing up for Racial Justice). Support businesses and organizations led by people of color. During this pandemic epoch and its disproportionate impacts on black and brown communities where the only certainty is the need for positive and lasting systemic change, affordable access to materials and the efforts and skills to make this happen are more relevant than ever – for the health of our communities and for our world.
We have long believed that ReUse can be an essential part of the healing that is badly needed to address the social divides caused by structural inequality and racism. These issues have been moved to center stage because of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless untold others. Now is the time for all of us to focus and take a stand, and it is long overdue.
ReUse is committed to engaging in ongoing anti-racist learning on the staff and board level. We are having and will continue to have open, honest conversations about systemic racism. We are reworking our hiring plan that will create additional pathways for people of color to join our organization, including in leadership positions.
We want to hear your ideas and feedback. Contact us at sean.campbell@fingerlakesreuse.org to share.