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Kari Harper
When I transferred into the Fountain Hills Unified School District at ten years old, I finally noticed a trend in my educational experience: we never learned about Black people. I recounted several years of learning about Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and how slavery was bad, but Abraham Lincoln stopped it. That was it. My teachers stopped there. My ten-year-old mind couldn’t quite comprehend why so many kids didn’t know about Malcolm X and The Black Panther Party. I wondered why I only talked about Emmett Till when I was at home. I promised myself at ten years old that I would only do projects and presentations on Black historical figures that we wouldn’t talk about in school. Little did I know that what I was doing was starting a dialogue about Black culture in my town where only .2% of the population is Black. Being the only little Black girl in class was intimidating, but I knew it was my duty to bring the conversation of race to my peers.
I see that today we need to do that more than ever. My peers and I are no longer little kids, so we need to stop using the guise of ignorance as our excuse for not understanding why Black lives matter. TWC holds a dear place in my heart because we elevate the importance of education within our neighborhood so that we can better love and respect all in our community. Our organization’s purpose stems from the lack of conversation and we want to stop that trend in its tracks. The organizers of TWC and I will work tirelessly to spread awareness, education, and continue the fight for social justice for all.
I see that today we need to do that more than ever. My peers and I are no longer little kids, so we need to stop using the guise of ignorance as our excuse for not understanding why Black lives matter. TWC holds a dear place in my heart because we elevate the importance of education within our neighborhood so that we can better love and respect all in our community. Our organization’s purpose stems from the lack of conversation and we want to stop that trend in its tracks. The organizers of TWC and I will work tirelessly to spread awareness, education, and continue the fight for social justice for all.
Sherifa Momoh
Living as a black woman has been nothing short of challenging. In virtually every dimension of my life, being a black woman has played a significant role in the way people interact with me, treat me, or simply perceive me. Fountain Hills is a town where my voice and existence were muted by the receiving end. My skin color, however, tended to be the only thing people saw, or more so, wanted to see.
That being said, TWC, is a group I am proud to be a part of. This group is not only declaring its support for black lives in America, but in Fountain Hills. We care and we want change. We want to change the close-mindedness and ignorance that is seen in some members of our Fountain Hills community. We want to change, or rather, deplete the fear many black residents have in speaking up. We want Fountain Hills to wake up and learn. Learn about what we stand for. Learn that black lives truly do matter. Our goal is to educate, not to create havoc. I’m hoping that the creation of this organization will serve as the catalyst in the reformation of Fountain Hills and its residents’ way of thinking.
That being said, TWC, is a group I am proud to be a part of. This group is not only declaring its support for black lives in America, but in Fountain Hills. We care and we want change. We want to change the close-mindedness and ignorance that is seen in some members of our Fountain Hills community. We want to change, or rather, deplete the fear many black residents have in speaking up. We want Fountain Hills to wake up and learn. Learn about what we stand for. Learn that black lives truly do matter. Our goal is to educate, not to create havoc. I’m hoping that the creation of this organization will serve as the catalyst in the reformation of Fountain Hills and its residents’ way of thinking.
Rory Wilson
When I moved to Fountain Hills in 2017, I was so focused on my past that I ignored how much the small characteristics of the community had developed into a new home for me. Places like The Fountain Park, D.J.’s Bagel’s, the small trails hidden within neighborhoods - they all created a different kind of peacefulness that I had never been exposed to.- This peacefulness is one of the many things that I, a white person, have the privilege to experience, alongside the consistent feelings of comfort and safety. From the outside, Fountain Hills is small and tranquil, offering dog-walkers of all kinds to stroll downtown. While all these things are what make Fountain Hills such a unique community, they also all play a part in casting a veil over the microaggressions and racist remarks seen day-to-day.
My whole life I have been labeled as shy or quiet - an introvert, - and would do just about anything to keep myself from having to participate in any conversation. But in the wake of what is one of the most powerful movements against systemic racism, I can no longer afford to be quiet.
Being a part of TWC is significant to me, not just because that we have redirected the community’s focus onto the international discussion of racism, but because I can use my privilege effectively, and also not take control of the spotlight. To clarify even further, especially for my white counterparts, using my voice during this time, is not to speak for my Black friends or strangers and tell their stories. As I continue my role in TWC as our community outreach and one of our social media coordinators, I have the opportunity to establish relationships with various residents, as well as non-residents, of Fountain Hills. With these newly established connections between TWC and the rest of the world, I can rightfully use my voice to communicate the goals that our group aims to accomplish and help to convey any questions the public may have. By using my and TWC’s privilege to draw the focus of all of our attention onto the conversation at hand, we will continue to educate our friends, neighbors and other townspeople and uplift the voices of those historically silenced.
My whole life I have been labeled as shy or quiet - an introvert, - and would do just about anything to keep myself from having to participate in any conversation. But in the wake of what is one of the most powerful movements against systemic racism, I can no longer afford to be quiet.
Being a part of TWC is significant to me, not just because that we have redirected the community’s focus onto the international discussion of racism, but because I can use my privilege effectively, and also not take control of the spotlight. To clarify even further, especially for my white counterparts, using my voice during this time, is not to speak for my Black friends or strangers and tell their stories. As I continue my role in TWC as our community outreach and one of our social media coordinators, I have the opportunity to establish relationships with various residents, as well as non-residents, of Fountain Hills. With these newly established connections between TWC and the rest of the world, I can rightfully use my voice to communicate the goals that our group aims to accomplish and help to convey any questions the public may have. By using my and TWC’s privilege to draw the focus of all of our attention onto the conversation at hand, we will continue to educate our friends, neighbors and other townspeople and uplift the voices of those historically silenced.