Letter from Mayor Brian C. Wahler – June 4, 2020
Remarks given by Council President Gabrielle Cahill (At-Large) – at the June 4, 2020 Township Council Meeting
Anti-Racism Statement
Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Piscataway Public Library
June 8, 2020
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
We mourn the loss of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and all those who have had their lives cut short or permanently altered through unwarranted acts of racially-motivated violence.
We condemn systemic racism and social injustice. We are committed to anti-racism as a value in our collections and services, and recognize we must continually evaluate our practices to ensure we are making lasting and sustainable change.
We stand with the Black community, and all who face oppression. We stand with peaceful demonstrators who protest for a more fair and just society. Black lives matter.
We will continue to implement library services that are inclusive and respectful. We recognize and celebrate cultural and experiential differences within our community and the larger global community.
We will:
- Invite feedback from Black community members.
- Work in partnership with organizations such as NAACP Metuchen-Edison Area Branch and Piscataway African American Seniors Club.
- Provide collections and resource lists on the topic of anti-racism.
- Continue Piscataway Stories, an initiative to add items to the local history collections that are reflective of the community.
- Offer and expand programming that fosters education and dialogue on anti-racism and other social justice topics.
- Emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion in future plans and policies.
- Encourage and support staff participation in anti-racism training opportunities such as Project READY.