We Deplore Racism in Framingham

We are deeply disturbed by the racist, sexist and homophobic exchanges between Framingham Youth Football & Cheerleading coaches that were exposed this week. These coaches were entrusted with the most vulnerable and impressionable members of our community, our youth. The damage they have done is serious. Trust has been broken, the community is hurting and our children are not safe. We need transparency and an independent investigation to bring integrity, wholeness and restoration.

Coming on the heels of anti-semitic and racist incidents in our schools, we are compelled to call out the evil of racism and bigotry in our community and to call upon the community to engage in serious and meaningful dialogue about the deep roots of racism in our culture and community. Racism and other forms of systemic oppression are woven into the fabric of our national history, identity and governance. So too are the values of equality and freedom, and the courage to make them real for all people.

We call upon the entire Framingham community to be courageous in this troubling moment. We commit to having real conversations about the underlying issues of systemic racism and hatred. We commit to exploring our own biases, privileges and hatreds until they no longer have power over us. We commit to leading the community to embody the values of equality and equity for all our residents. We commit to staying the course and we ask you to join us. Martin Luther King, Jr, once said, “For evil to succeed, all it needs is for good men [sic] to do nothing.” May we not let evil succeed in Framingham.