Yes, another yard sign. Why? Because you are here. Thank you for your curiosity. Thank you for showing up.
We at the Anti-Racism Committee of South Pasadena (ARC) created these yard signs to get our community thinking: Why is it important to stand against racism? What moves us to fight? What are our reasons for putting in the work to combat white supremacy and address legacies of racism in South Pasadena and beyond?
Through these yard signs, we want to let our neighbors know that an anti-racist community exists in South Pasadena. Here at ARC, we work to make change both in local policy and through cultivating interpersonal relationships, in order to make a stronger community for all of us. These yard signs aim to jump-start important conversations and personal reflection.
Alongside our yard signs, we held an event to discuss and reflect on how we wanted to personalize our signs. Here are some of the questions we asked to guide this reflection:
- What fills you with anger? What fills you with hope?
- What new information changed the way you view the issue of racism forever?
- What current events move you to act?
- How have personal experiences and conversations opened you up to new ideas?
- How do I choose just one reason when there are so many?
We chose to post our yard signs on January 20th, 2021—INAUGURATION DAY—because a change in administration does not mean a resolution to centuries of systemic racism. Though this election is undoubtedly historic, with Vice President Kamala Harris as the first Black and Asian-American woman to hold the position, we must still make our voices that much louder, stronger, and clearer.
We invite you to read these signs created by members of our community. We encourage you to contemplate what moves you to show up in the fight for anti-racism, or perhaps reflect on what has prevented you from doing so. The reasons to fight against racism in our community are near and far, personal and factual, full of anger and full of hope. Showing up, standing up, and speaking up are imperative to making real change happen.
We hope you find something in these yard signs that connects with your heart, and we welcome you here at ARC. We are here, and we are ready to take action together. Come: connect, fight, heal, learn, hold accountable, mourn, and rejoice with us. There is a space for you here.
Anti Racism Committee of South Pasadena 