Statement from the Afro-Latinx Exonian Society (ALES)
By the 53rd ALES Board
The following statement, unedited by The Exonian, was sent to faculty on June 6, 2020 by the 53rd ALES Board.
In times where Black students need guidance and support from the administration the most, we reflect on the enthusiasm that adults on campus brought to events like MLK day. We wonder where this enthusiasm for racial justice was during the protests in Grill this fall. We wonder where this enthusiasm was when students of color asked for more representation in the faculty. We wonder where this enthusiasm is now.
It is easy to sit in a gymnasium while speakers advocate for people of color, but do the leaders of this institution truly listen to what they had to say? It was easy to post pictures on Instagram of the unapologetic advocates for racial justice and equality that joined us in January, but have you acted on their words? To this institution, at times, activism seems to be little more than posting black squares to Instagram. Months ago, our principal welcomed Dr. Ibram X. Kendi onto our campus, yet three days ago he failed to address the Black students who are most impacted by police brutality and the current racial violence. It was only after immense effort and outrage from students that we received substantive messaging. You may have heard our speakers, but did you listen? We will repeat.
To echo the words of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, “The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it—and then dismantle it.”
“The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it—and then dismantle it.”
“The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it—and then dismantle it.”
“The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it—and then dismantle it.”
Are you listening? The adults who we trust to guide and protect us fail to adequately identify the racism, police brutality and current atmosphere which threaten the Black students on our own campus. We, as a school, have not begun to take the action necessary to dismantle it. We are ashamed. We are afraid. Our hearts break over and over for our BIPOC students and faculty, but we as students understand that it is not enough to care about the fact that there is a problem–we must act to solve it. Empathy for others is the bare minimum human decency; the action that follows makes the difference. We ask, have you reached out to your students? Have you acknowledged the plight that Black students are facing? Have you offered up your classroom space for acknowledgement and discussion of racial violence? Have you advocated on our behalf? It is not too late to listen. It is not too late to act.
Petition
Recently, students from Phillips Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy created a petition with the following demands:
“We are asking for four distinct actions by PA and PEA:
We would like the administrations to explicitly acknowledge the anti-blackness in the nation, world, and in their respective communities, as well as explicitly state how they plan to support Black students, now and in the future. How can we, as institutions, say we are fighting racism when we are unable to recognize it in our own communities?
We are calling on them to use their platforms to promote information about how to help ongoing efforts, or at the very least, to post beyond performative social media activism. We ask that the schools expand their education about race and commit to improving the lives of students of color through initiatives such as the active recruitment of diverse faculty and counselors.
We ask that Phillips Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy, with endowments of $1.13 billion and $1.3 billion dollars, respectively, make financial contribution(s) to organizations that help protect the civil rights of Black Americans such as, but in no way limited to: Reclaim the Block, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Black Visions Collective, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense and Education Fund, Color of Change, Equal Justice Initiative, the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Academies need to work to create a more equitable future for its black students and support organizations committed to fighting systemic racism in the United States. If for whatever reason, they are unable or unwilling to do so, then we ask for an explanation as to exactly why this is the case and exactly how they plan to make up for it.
We ask that Phillips Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy host a competitive Giving Day, similar to the schools’ annual Andover vs. Exeter (or Exeter vs. Andover) fundraisers, to raise money for the organizations listed above. Each school is in the position to convince current students, their families, alumni, trustees and their general communities to band together and create change through financial contributions. “You can raise your hearts, and you can raise your minds, but both institutions hold an overwhelming monetary power and influence. So raise your money.”
We would like to echo those demands and emphasize the need for faculty support. As students of the Academy, our primary job should be to learn. It becomes exhausting for students to bear the burden of constantly holding the administration accountable. We need your help. We ask that you use your voices and your power to continue advocating on behalf of our requests.
Faculty and Alumni Support for Unsilenced
In response to recent events that have once again brought to light the injustice and institutionalized racism that is prevalent in our country, recently graduated alums, Kiki Aguilar and Alisha Simmons, are hosting a virtual Unsilenced this Saturday at 8p.m. EST. This will be both a show of support from Exonians for the Black Lives Matter Movement, as well as a fundraiser for organizations aiding protesters and advocating for change. We need you to be there. We need you to donate. We ask that you support Unsilenced this Saturday as an acknowledgment of the past, present, and future efforts your students have made to implement change within our institution and the greater community. We also ask that you seek justice for the murders of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless others who have lost their lives to police brutality. Kiki and Alisha have decided to donate all of the money generated by Unsilenced to the American Civil Liberties Union, Innocence Project, Black Lives Matter and Communities United Against Police Brutality, organizations dedicated to dismantling the institutions that uphold systemic racism. You can support their efforts by promoting the event to all current students and alumni. This is an opportunity for genuine rather than performative action. We ask that you take it.
Watch here: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCE86AJ7RXTRfeBI_VWqU9uQ/featured?view_as=subscriber
Retention of Faculty of Color and OMA Expansion
We would like to remind the Exeter community of the enormous burden that faculty of color have taken on in events regarding racial justice. Students of color have repeatedly taken note of the lack of effort on the administration’s part to retain faculty of color. We asked our administration to begin addressing this issue in 2016, and we have yet to see a plan of action. We ask again today, four years later. We ask that the administration present a plan to support and retain faculty of color, as well as make valiant efforts to lift the burden of education off of their shoulders.
Additionally, we acknowledge that the challenging task of bringing the goals set forth in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion vision statement to fruition cannot be accomplished if the Office of Multicultural Affairs does not have the staff or resources available to carry out this work. Our Interim Chief Financial Officer cited the following when denying the request for donations from the Academy, “Exeter is a school which has its mission [to] ‘unite goodness and knowledge and inspire youth from every quarter to lead purposeful lives.’ The Academy’s resources have been entrusted to us for the purpose of advancing that mission, and we devote those resources to financial aid for our students, the salaries, benefits and professional development of our adults, and the safety and preservation of our facilities.” The Academy cannot advance this mission without adequately supporting the work of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. If the Academy is unable to donate to third party organizations, an expansion of the resources available to OMA is the least that can be done.
Following are sections of previous proposals made by the Afro-Latinx Exonian Society demanding action from the administration in this area:
“Due to the concerns raised by the students’ responses, the Academy received several recommendations to improve the racial climate of the school, including providing “additional opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage in civil dialogue,” “[diversifying] the curriculum by insisting upon multicultural curricula in all classes,” and “[continuing] and [strengthening] attempts to hire teachers, staff, and administrators of color.” Furthermore, in 2015, the Council of Equity and Social Justice crafted and delivered a similar proposal to the administration of Principal Hassan and the incoming administration of Principal MacFarlane. The group of students were promised that the propositions would be prioritized in the following year. After five years and two proposals, the experiences of Black and/or Latinx students remain largely unchanged.”
“Moreover, the Academy’s inability to retain Black and/or Latinx faculty contributes to a faculty hierarchy in which Black and/or Latinx faculty are permanently in an inferior position because they lack seniority in the PEA community. This leads to a collective feeling of disempowerment among Black and/or Latinx Exonians, adults and students alike.”
“Prioritize the hiring and retention of Black and/or Latinx faculty. Black and/or Latinx faculty provide an important perspective from which everyone learns, and are a resource to Black and/or Latinx students, who might feel isolated or out of place in a predominantly white community. They help to create a more balanced community from which everyone benefits. To that end, the institution should:
Have an aggressive and well-funded recruitment and retention program.
Create hiring committees that are balanced and represent the different constituencies oncampus: students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
Carry out an institutional assessment to determine where the institution stands on the inclusivity continuum, and create a strategic plan for how to continue to move forward.”
“We request that you provide more support and staff for the Office of Multicultural Affairs. OMA attempts to validate and prioritize the needs of Exeter’s marginalized communities by advising, mentoring, offering financial and emotional support, and by creating programming and inclusive learning environments that foster greater understanding around topics of: race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, ability, religion, spirituality, and other aspects of identity”
We would like to extend our thanks to the current faculty members of color who have shouldered the burden of representing and advocating for students of color, and we call others to action in supporting them. It should not be their endeavor alone. We repeat, “The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it—and then dismantle it.” We call upon you to undo racism at the Academy by constantly identifying and describing it–and then taking action to dismantle it. We’re counting on you.
Best,
The 53rd Board of the Afro-Latinx Exonian Society
With the endorsement and support of Asian Voices, La Alianza Latina, Transitions, Chinese Student Organization, Korean Society, Woke, Feminist Union, Exeter Climate Lobby, Vietnamese Society, Exeter Jewish Community, Christian Fellowship, Thai Club, Japanese American Society, Unite!, Exeter Pinoy Society and the Student Council Executive Board for 2021.