Hi ClimatePlan partners, allies, and friends, 

Amy shared her blog post, Dear White folks, we need to talk about racism, on Friday. If you missed her email or you haven't read the blog post, please take 5 minutes today to read it. It is very powerful.

As a black woman with two black sons, I am exhausted, I am angry, and I am afraid. I've been alternating between rage, despair, and hopelessness. I am angry that black bodies continue to be killed and dehumanized--and that we, the United States of America, still have not had a real conversation about how systematic racism and oppression is built within the very fabric of our nation. I grieve the loss of people that look like me and that could be me. I live in fear--for my life, my sons' lives, my nephews, and my family. I know that George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Nia Wilson, Sandra Bland, Oscar Grant could have been me. And that is the terror I have to live under every day.

I also know that Amy Cooper is not an anomaly. Unconscious bias, implicit bias -- we all live under this burden. We owe it to ourselves to do the work to address our biases and to live in the truth of being anti-racist.  

This week (or in the coming weeks) you may see me on Zoom, or facilitating conference calls. Know that I am doing all that I can to hold it together, to continue to do this work while my heart is breaking and enraged. 

We as a staff team are using ClimatePlan's platform to speak up about systemic racism and oppression, about black people being murdered. I encourage all of you to do the same. Our vision for a healthier and more vital California that supports sustainable and equitable communities, preserves iconic landscapes, and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions will not become a reality if black people continue to be murdered. 

Chanell Fletcher

Executive Director, ClimatePlan