Black Lives Matter

A lot of people think that Vermont is immune to issues of racism, bigotry and hate.  Many, actually think we just don't have any people of color here.  We are indeed a state with over 90% of people who identify as white.  However, that does not make us immune from the same issues plaguing the rest of our country of systemic racism.  We at Zenbarn are committed to doing our part to dismantle racism.  Toward this end, we are committing ourselves to look inward first by developing an organization with no tolerance for racist thought and action.  We commit to holding space and conversation, checking our assumptions and holding one another accountable.  Outwardly, we will support black and people of color artists, organizations and individuals by offering workshops, classes, speakers, entertainment and more.  Further, we have joined forces with a group of local residents in our community to form an anti-racism task force to push our small town to make needed changes in our education system and the community at-large.  This is not a one-off rally.  This is not the work of a day, week or month.  This is a movement to shift a paradigm that has existed in plain sight for far too long.  Standing on the shoulders of our ancestors and the many black lives who have perished at the hands of police unnecessarily, we march forward.