New England Nature and Forest Therapy Consulting
Our Commitment to Anti-Racism
To be silent is to be complicit. - Accountability and Action are called for.
NENFT Commits to Addressing Racial Injustice and Fostering Inclusivity and Belonging
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.
The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
— Elie Wiesel
We pledge to:
- continue listening, learning and listening more
- stay in this conversation with an open heart even when it gets uncomfortable
- not let our own discomfort stop us from speaking up about racism
- not let our own discomfort stop us from listening when someone is offering us feedback
- constantly strive to become aware of our unconscious biases and change our own behaviors
- look for the places in our lives where racism lives, to notice it within ourselves, and do the work necessary to change
- improve our ally-ship in an authentic way coming from a place of heart and integrity
- be humble when we make a mistake, not defensive
- always strive to be better at fostering inclusiveness and belonging for all and to acknowledge when we make a mistake
- learn the actual history of slavery, and the actual journeys of BIPOC, LGBTQI and others, and carry these stories
- give proper land acknowledgements and speak of indigenous peoples in the present tense because they are still here
- strive to be authentic and take action from our hearts in service to integrity
- give ourselves permission to rest and process when needed so we may stay present and be a
sustainable, long-term presence in this important movement
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people
but the silence over that by the good people.”
— Dr Martin Luther King Jr
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends.”
— Dr Martin Luther King Jr
