The pandemic has forced the cancellation of our group’s in-person meetings for the foreseeable future. We just don’t have space to accommodate all who’d like to attend. We’ve rethought our organizational approach and are now moving online.
The pandemic makes it impossible to to accommodate all the people who’d like to attend our next meeting. For various and understandable reasons, many of you have objected to the downsized meeting we planned to have this week. In response to these objections, we are now suspending in-person meetings for the foreseeable future.
Plan B is now in operation. In light of the pandemic, we are moving our group online via a WordPress forum that our colleague, Tessa Watkins is now developing. We have purchased a domain named: lebofightsracism.com. Please refer questions about the site to Tessa <admin@lebofightsracism.com>.
We will need volunteers to moderate the site’s discussion sections. Contact Tessa if you’re interested.
Our law enforcement reform and event committees will each have a discussion section. Another will involve sharing experiences of racism in Mt. Lebanon, particularly those involving the police. We can also share resources relevant to our objectives. When the site is ready, you’ll receive an email.
Importantly, the site also invites discussions to address objections that a number of you have raised about the name of our group and its leadership. First, several people have criticized our group’s affiliation with the Black Lives Matter movement. The general objections are:
- As a mostly white group in a very white community, we are appropriating the name of an African American led racial justice movement.
- In contrast to the intentions of BLM’s founders, we have not foregrounded leadership roles for black women and members of the black LGBQT community nor have we addressed the issues that most concern these members of the African American community
These points clearly deserve a rich, thoughtful, and sustained discussion. Please note that co-founder Al Monroe and many other African Americans endorsed the BLM affiliation when we first discussed forming this group. Hopefully we will have achieved consensus on what if any changes need to be made to our name and mission when we resume in-person meetings.
A number of people have stated that as a white man, John Donoghue’s position in the movement has prevented people of color from becoming leaders. His position as the alleged “public face” of the movement has also been called into question. These are, again, important issues that deserve a thoughtful discussion. Please understand, however, that Donoghue has no desire to be the “public face” of our group and would gladly concede any role he’s thus far played or might play to a person of color.
Finally, while we won’t be meeting as one collective body anytime soon, we encourage members to gather in small groups virtually or in person to carry on with the work of fighting for racial justice in Mt. Lebanon.
In solidarity,
Al Monroe, Co-Founder
John Donoghue, Co-Founder
