Solidarity Statement for Keenan Anderson

Keenan Anderson's life was taken by the LAPD. We, along with his family, community, and students, are heartbroken. 

At BLM@School, our dedication to Black teachers is both in and outside of the classroom. We have consistently upheld that all students deserve Black teachers. Further, we know intimately that Black men, women, and nonbinary folks have gifts, skills, and experiences that seed flowers into the creation of a more just world. 

Amongst our community, we recognize the intention to take time to feel, mourn, sit in solitude, and honor what needs to be done is different for each of us. We demand that school-based practices and overarching labor policy must respect the grieving space for Black students and educators at this time, integrated within a much more expansive call for community-wide traditions that make available a healing-centered education to everyone. 

We remain committed to working for racial justice in education as a critical step in achieving our full liberation, and explicitly restate our solidarity with youth organizers nationwide that champion the urgent call for #PoliceFreeSchools. We long for liberation in our lifetime, where our Blackness is respected by all institutions that mediate our precious lives. 

We’ll continue to uplift Keenan Anderson, echo the 5 demands led by Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, and inspire ALL educators nationwide to recognize they have a duty to join in the struggle. 2023 Week of Action is upcoming February 6-10. We expect to embrace you within the worthy work.

What we want is not progress, we want complete freedom.
​-Kelly Miller Smith

Link to BLM Los Angeles Instagram 
Link to BLM Grassroots Instagram
Link to Petition With BLM Los Angeles and Color of Change.