NELA Statement on Racism and Xenophobia

The New England Library Association (NELA) stands in solidarity with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) in condemning violence and racism toward black people, indigenous people, and all people of color, and has endorsed BCALA’s statement condemning increased violence and racism towards Black Americans and people of color.  NELA also supports the right of citizens to peacefully protest white supremacy, police brutality, and institutionalized racism.

NELA has also endorsed APALA’s statement hat condemns the rise in xenophobia and racism due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, and has signed the pledge to combat the rise of xenophobia and racism against Asians and Asian/Pacific Americans due to COVID-19.

Let us all stand together, build coalitions, and be each other’s accomplices in the struggle to end internal, interpersonal, and systematic forms of racism and all other forms of oppression.NELA urges its members to support both the BCALA’s condemnation of the systemic and systematic social injustices endured by black people and people of color, and to take the APALA’s pledge against xenophobia.  Racism, in all its forms, destroys our communities.  We must all proactively work on eradicating racism anywhere and everywhere it exists.

Sincerely,
Jenn Bruneau
NELA President