Statue Relocation
Dear Editor: I hear my Native friends and fellow citizens saying that a statue of a Russian invader and colonizer placed front and center in the community is painful. This is easy to understand. We can give respect to these friends and fellow citizens by moving the Baranof statue away from front and center. I can see no reason why we would not do this.
Randy Hughey, Sitka
Injustices
Dear Editor: Though SAFV’s work is focused on domestic violence and sexual assault, we recognize the systems at play which perpetuate injustices in our world, including violence against both women and people of color.
Our organization strives to create a community of nonviolence and respect, but this cannot happen unless we examine the root causes of violence and work to collectively dismantle systems of oppression and rebuild communities to be fair, just and equitable. As anti-violence advocates, we condemn the horrific acts of violence perpetrated on Black Americans that has most recently been brought to our country’s attention following the murder of George Floyd.
For too long, so many unjust acts of violence and murder have gone largely unnoticed. We stand firmly with Black and indigenous peoples, as well as other peoples of color in the fight against racism and for justice, and commit to doing the necessary work to transform our community and our country.
Natalie Wojcik, Executive Director,
Sitkans Against Family Violence
