Statement on raising the BLM flag on Feb.

1, 2019
By members of the Student Justice Union at South Burlington High School

Thabitha L. Moruthane - co-President

Elijah Hines- co-President
Rachel Ambaye - Vice President
Lucia Pendolino- Secretary
Sophie Bock- communications director

Today we are raising the Black Lives Matter flag to signify our commitment towards creating an
environment that is just, equitable and empathetic. We see the flag as a symbol of inclusion for all our
students at SBHS, especially our students of color.

In today’s political climate it is clear that injustice and racism are an ongoing problem. Not only does
racism occur throughout our country, but right here in Vermont, in South Burlington, and at SBHS. The
Black Lives Matter movement is a response to senseless violence, a response to mass incarceration, and
overall, the Black Lives Matter movement is a response to inequality.

We want SBHS to have a greater understanding of racial inequity, not only its presence in the United
States, but also its presence in our lives.

The Black Lives Matter flag, that we are raising today, will be a reminder that history, including Black
History, is not just something of the past. History is constantly being made, this flag and this movement
are a part of it.

We are so grateful to be raising the Black Lives Matter flag today. Throughout the past years we have
thrown ourselves into situations where we‘ve felt our most vulnerable, but being here today shows how
that has all been worth it. Though we have been successful, our role as activists does not end here.
There is a whole world out there to change. This is just our first step.