A Statement from the Jack and Jill Foundation Board of Trustees

There’s Power in Our Voice

The past several months have been painful. Grieving the loss of another Black man at the hands of hatred provoked immediate feelings of anguish and anger. It’s not enough that we can’t jog, and we can’t sleep, but now again, we can’t breathe. As an organization rooted in uplifting African American communities and transforming the lives of families and children, we are disgusted by these acts of racism and deplore any form of political power or social influence that throws the match to set the fire and burn down the building, but hides their hands to avoid admonishment.

Yet, even in these difficult days, amidst a resounding outcry of frustration, we will not forget from whence we came. We were born out of fortitude of the Black mother and stabilized on the Black father’s courage and strength. We were cultivated out of the segregation of the Civil Rights Movement after being refused a seat at the table…so, we built our own. And, today, we support more than 40,000 voices across 200 communities of Black families who, simply in their existence, speak truth to power every time they find the strength to keep moving.

There’s power in our struggle. And, at this pivotal moment, we stand with the diaspora of Black organizations to continue to take action, as we have for so many years. This is not new work for our community. It is the continuation of a movement rooted in pain and catalyzed out of necessity. Like racism, the resilience of Black people is a learned behavior, but, out of the strength of our community, we shall overcome.

This is an ongoing fight for justice. As the world grapples with the impact of the pandemic and communities contend with health, economic and systemic disparities, we encourage everyone reading this message to, GO VOTE, complete the 2020 Census, and never underestimate the power of your voice!

The Foundation will continue to galvanize around our focused goals to advance educational opportunities, improve health and wellness resources, and build strong families to persevere this fight for justice and equality. To those who are searching for what to say and analyzing how to be an ally, now is not the time to lead, but to listen. Black leaders have been carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders and need to be heard. To Jack and Jill members, Board of Trustees, donors, and friends, we thank you – for your courage, your strength, and your dedication. You, too, sing America, and we are grateful.

Join us on this journey. For over five decades, Jack and Jill Foundation has amplified the voices of those least considered and last heard, and we encourage all allies to stand with us as we aspire to effectuate sustainable change across our nation.

Text CloseTheGap to 44321 to support the College GAP Fund to educate students from HBCUs, or make a general contribution to https://jackandjillfoundation.org/donate-now to support our programs in Education (College Prep, STEM and Reading Corners), Health/Wellness (health fairs, mental health resources) and building strong families with Our Village grants.

Sincerely,

Pier AH Blake
Executive Director