Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter, and we at Rivertide know that it is our responsibility to do better, to join the work being done to make sure that our society changes drastically in order to reflect and honor this basic truth.

We know that silence is not an option anymore. We are realizing more fully now that it never was. We stand with those who have been killed, marginalized and repressed by a system of white supremacy. George Floyd. Eric Garner. Breonna Taylor. Sandra Bland. Dominique“Rem’mie” Fells. Riah Milton. Ahmaud Arbery. Tony McDade. Elijah McClain. Trayvon Martin. Atatiana Jefferson. These are just a few names – this list is heartbreakingly long. 

We stand with those fighting for justice and we honor those that dedicated their lives to that fight. Sylvia Rivera. Marsha P. Johnson. Storme DeLarverie. Bayard Rustin. Rosa Parks. Marcus Garvey. Sojourner Truth. Thurgood Marshall. Harriet Tubman. Ernestine Eckstein. Tyron Garner. These are just a few names – this list is inspiringly long.

While we started our dojo with the specific intent of being diverse and inclusive, we understand now that ’build it and they will come’ is not sufficient. We dedicate ourselves to taking a more proactive approach to creating more diversity at Rivertide Center, and to figuring out how we can utilize the resources and privilege that we have to support Black Lives and to help dismantle white supremacy.

Always forward!
Patrick Gaucher and Arielle Herman 
Rivertide Center

photo by Alon Koppel