DEI Racial Equity Principle of the Week: Principle #10

Seek Connection - Choose Love over Fear

Today we are sharing the final Racial Equity Principle. We encourage you to reflect on the description of this principle, how much you can relate to or see value in it, and to what extent you may want to apply any of the approaches suggested in your daily lives, inside and outside of the Kent School. 

“White supremacy thrives in a culture of fear. In the U.S., we are constantly navigating a fear based culture. We have a mainstream political party whose primary messaging is fear-based. Fear shuts down our ability to be creative, compassionate, and brave; fear also divides us and pits us against each other. Notice when fear shows up, name it, and seek ways to feel it, address it, and look for ways to build connection and relationship. This principle does not suggest that choosing love is easy. There is a reason we have come up with the term "tough love." Sometimes love means setting boundaries, saying no, calling people (including ourselves) to do better. Even so, we are best served when we ground our actions in a desire for connection and learn to ask ourselves: what would build connection here? Relationship? Love? Even if and when we're asking on our own behalf - what would help me build connection to myself? to love myself?”

We seek connection not just with ourselves and with each other. We also seek connection with the land; grounding ourselves in where we and our people come from, grounding ourselves in connection to the trees, the water, the air, the sun, the rain, the salamanders and the songbirds ... This grounding restores and reflects the deep respect that we must hold if we are to survive and thrive on this Mother Earth.”

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