“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

As the Black Lives Matter protests in both the USA and UK gathered in intensity, Wellington’s new Student Leadership Team were quick to respond. Laura, Rosie, Harry and Guy sent out this powerful message to the whole College community:

“We, as the Wellington Student Leadership team, strongly feel that now, more than ever, it is imperative that we use this platform to share this important message. As many of you may be aware, there have been recent protests over systemic racism and police brutality in the US, with the Black Lives Matter movement fighting for long deserved justice and equality for the black community.

We would like to invite everyone to recognise our role as human beings and Wellingtonians to take responsibility in this situation of injustice. By this, we believe that there is no longer space for a passive attitude towards such deep-rooted oppression, discrimination and racism. It takes more than this to truly enact change in the world.

Although there has been widespread awareness raised about this issue on social media, this is not enough without meaningful action to back it up. Instead, what we need is the courage to be actively anti-racist, rather than just non-racist. Not only does this mean signing petitions and donating funds, but also on a personal level: we need to educate ourselves and take responsibility in our daily actions and behaviours, to treat everyone with equal and genuine respect and to cut out racism, whether it be conscious or sub-conscious, from our community and our lives. Only that way, can we truly and actively achieve change and maintain our integrity as kind and just people. We want to implore both the students and the teaching staff to consciously enact change and strive for respect and inclusivity, no matter where we are.

We have a collective duty to work in unison to create a better, more inclusive atmosphere for everyone. That duty starts now. Remember, as Desmond Tutu powerfully said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Therefore, we must actively pursue and act to create a more equal and just community, so that no matter our differences, whether they be skin colour, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ability, or any other difference, everyone feels accepted, equal and comfortable to be themselves without fear of judgement or discrimination. So, please, let’s all enact change and make a difference, now.

What can we do?

What will this achieve?

How can I do it?

Make a donation Donating helps to fund crucial action, such as striving for civil liberties, raising further awareness and achieving justice.
Sign petitions Signing petitions forces political leaders to take action and achieve justice.
Educate ourselves and learn Understanding the history, context and extent of racism in the US and the UK is key in helping us to fight against it together. Articles:

Podcasts about racism:

Documentaries:

Books:

List of further education resources

Further links for donations and petitions to sign click HERE.

We have a collective duty to work in unison to create a better, more inclusive atmosphere for everyone. That duty starts now. Remember, as Desmond Tutu powerfully said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Therefore, we must actively pursue and act to create a more equal and just community, so that no matter our differences, whether they be skin colour, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ability, or any other difference, everyone feels accepted, equal and comfortable to be themselves without fear of judgement or discrimination. So, please, let’s all enact change and make a difference, now.

Thank you,

The Wellington Student Leadership Team”