OneGoal Stands with You
By Jeff Nelson
November 23, 2016
To our OneGoal community:
Many of us are hurting. The election cycle surfaced extreme divisions in our country, and since, there has been a distressing surge in instances of harassments, intimidation, and attacks against our brothers and sisters of color, our Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters, our immigrant brothers and sisters, and our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. For those of us in education, it’s been particularly painful to witness this surge across high schools and college campuses throughout the US.
We at OneGoal believe that standing up for our communities is not a partisan issue. We value the fact that our movement includes students, parents, educators, staff members, investors, board members, and partners spread across the political spectrum. At our core, what binds us together is an unwavering faith in the power and brilliance of our young people, the dedication of our educators, and the extraordinary need for systemic change in America.
We come together because we know that the college divide – rooted in systems and centuries of oppression – can and must be solved within our lifetime. Together, we fight for justice and equity for every young person.
"The day after the elections Fellows reflected in their journals. Then, they silently decided to move their desks to the center of the room and one by one shared their journals and thoughts. I didn’t speak. I didn’t tell them to do this." Sasha Fawaz, OneGoal Chicago Program Director
And from this shared commitment, we hope that the OneGoal community can be a source of strength, solidarity, and action to fight against acts of hate and intimidation that many are experiencing. As one Fellow put it, “it is hard enough to be a first generation student at college, but right now it feels untenable.” We at OneGoal do not have a perfect roadmap for the road ahead, no one does. But we think now more than ever we must ask ourselves: what are we willing to do, how far are we willing to go, and how can we extend our love and humanity to support our young people and each other? We resolve never to be silent in the face of injustice. We will need everyone in this community working together in the days, weeks, and months ahead to come up with the answers, ideas, and courage proportional to the problem.
This work has always been important but it has taken on an even greater significance in the current environment. We’re immensely grateful to work alongside you in this movement and are continually inspired by your leadership and commitment to our shared mission.
With love,
Jeff Nelson
Co-Founder + CEO
OneGoal