We have heard from community members about racist comments circulating online that have been attributed to an Emerge employee. We want to acknowledge the harm and clearly correct the mistaken association.
The person who made these racist comments shares the same name as an Emerge employee, but they are not the same person. The individual responsible for the comments is not employed by or affiliated with Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse, and our employee’s information has been mistakenly shared as belonging to that individual. Our employee is a Black woman who did not make these comments, and we are concerned about the impact on her safety and well-being.
The comments are racist, dehumanizing, and unacceptable. They echo a long history of anti-Black racism and racial violence in this country and in our own communities. Black women experience the intersecting harms of racism and sexism, including having their humanity attacked, their pain dismissed, and their safety disregarded. The hurt, anger, and concern expressed in response deserve to be taken seriously.
To Ana, and to Black community members affected by these words: your humanity, dignity, and safety matter. We stand with you against anti-Blackness and racial violence.
Emerge is committed to being a multicultural, anti-racist organization. Our values of Love, Safety, Responsibility & Repair, and Liberation call us to challenge racism, listen to Black survivors and communities, and examine how we put those commitments into practice. This includes addressing barriers to safety within our services and the systems around us.
We understand why community members have reached out. Please direct questions about this statement to our social media inbox so our hotline remains available to survivors and loved ones seeking support related to domestic abuse.
Building a community where everyone can experience safety requires confronting racism, taking the harm seriously, and working together to prevent further harm.