Dear Community,

Yesterday we took a few hours after work to honor George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless Black, Indigenous and transgender people in our country and globally who have lost their lives to police and racially motivated violence.

We honored the lives of our ancestors who have faced violence, enslavement, disempowerment, disenfranchisement and death because of the color of their skin. We also celebrated the brilliance, bravery, joy and contributions those individuals gave during their lifetimes.

We at Rock Steady stand against police brutality. Against structural racism, systemic oppression and white supremacy. We stand against unjust: housing policies, healthcare, education, food access, economic opportunity and land access.

We believe in a future where Black, Indigenous, People of Color claim their own food sovereignty and access seeds, land, food and the financial resources to sustain those endeavors.

We at Rock Steady stand committed, as a multiracial farm, to dismantling our own internal manifestations of systems of oppression, we stand committed to learning from our mistakes, and continuing to fight for what we believe is just within a broken and racist food system. 

This is not just a stand alone moment in time. This work takes years. We are committed to creating a safer spaces for all BIPOC and LGBTQI+ farmers and consumers at Rock Steady. We know this is not easy. We are committed to leaning into hard and painful work with patience, commitment and love. 

There are also some concrete steps we are taking during this powerful moment in time.

• We are committed to growing food to feed our community. Our act of protest may not be in the streets, but it is on our land, within our soil and through the energy and hard work of farming.  We are working within the system to make this change. Daily.

• We will be planting an herb and flower garden near our on farm CSA pick-up to honor those who have lost their lives and in solidarity with the global Black Lives Matter movement.

• We stay committed to concrete next steps towards improving our staff's daily experience of farming at Rock Steady as well as access to power and decision making on our farm.

• Additionally, we continue to commit to making our food accessible to all people regardless of race, class, sexual identity, gender and economic status. 

We know many people are reflecting on their own solidarity, and many white people in particular are awakening to these injustices in a new way.

If you are not sure where to start, here are a few suggestions:

1. Commit to your own research, learning and unlearning around how racism shows up in our communities. Many people of color have created extensive, powerful resources for you on this journey. Here are a few good places to start (books and courses to purchase): Soul Fire Farm, Layla F. Saad, Rachel Cargyle, Ibram X. Kendi and many, many more.

2. If you are able, donate to these frontline organizations: George Floyd Memorial Fund, Movement for Black Lives, Black Visions Collective, and Campaign Zero.

3. Call your elected officials and tell them to redirect state and local police funds and invest those funds in resources people need, especially for Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color. 

4. Commit to a journey that will no doubt be difficult. This is hard work. Lean in to the challenge and discomfort. Talk to other white people you trust along this journey to support you.

Thank you to our friend, Walter Hergt and Naima Penniman, for these photographs.

Love and solidarity,

Maggie, D., Kyle, Mika, Amara, Rica and Hannah
Rock Steady Farm