There are so many forms of oppression to acknowledge in order for us to get on with the work of belonging and being together and recognizing our interconnectedness.
Let’s acknowledge the inhumanity of slavery and the violence that colonialism and white supremacy continues to act upon all of our bodies, especially those that are marginalized.
So much has been stolen from enslaved people and the original Nipmuc, Pocumtuc and Wabanaki confederacy people. Labor. Land. Language. Ceremony. Food. Education. Housing. Healthcare. Governance. Medicines. Kinship. Humanity.
This is only a first step in acknowledging that we must work to heal and repair our community as we co-create for belonging.
As a Café Volunteer or supporter, it is essential that you understand Stone Soup's commitment to antiracism:
We are committed to the ongoing work of building our beloved community, where all walks of life come together to share nourishment, connection, and learning for body, mind, and spirit.
We know we must work hard to promote solidarity with all our neighbors and challenge colonialism so that we can practice antiracism at all levels of our organization.
In order for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and ALL people affected by racism to feel welcome and have a sense of belonging at the Café, we commit ourselves to the ongoing work of building relationships with all members of our community, especially those most exploited, oppressed, and marginalized.
We will practice antiracism through our daily actions at the Café by intentionally building a culture of inclusivity, justice, and transformation. We will network and reach out to all our neighbors through ongoing education and dialogue, collaboration with partner organizations, and engagement with social movements.
We are dedicated to this process of learning, and becoming antiracist.
This is who we are.
It's hard work, and it's heart work.
It means we will not tolerate racism at the Café. We will work together to learn from each other, and to mend and course-correct for any mistakes we make along the way.
We encourage you to engage in this work with us!
“When we talk about land, land is part of who we are. It’s a mixture of our blood, our past, our current, and our future. We carry our ancestors in us, and they’re around us.”
—Mary Lyons (2019) (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe), The Native Governance Center
We acknowledge, in our own imperfect way, that The Stone Soup Café is located on the ancestral homelands of the Nipmuc, Pocumtuc, and Wabanaki Confederacy.
The history of Native Americans is our shared history and a vital part of American history, and we can learn from it together. It is a living and evolving story of resistance, resilience, economic strength, and cultural revitalization. It is also a painful history of wrongdoing and loss.
Stone Soup Café recognizes that a brutal process of genocide and land grabbing is an undeniable part of our history. We understand that colonialism, racism, and capitalism intertwine in a harmful vicious cycle.
We are implicated in that harm unless we work to undo it. We continue to look to Indigenous communities for other ways to show up and follow their lead. This, too, is a part of our antiracism work.
It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on this land and to seek to understand your place within that history.
Who are your people? Who claims you? What land do your people come from?
At Stone Soup Café we strive to be a fully inclusive organization where everyone belongs and can participate fully. The Café knows that using an individual's chosen pronouns demonstrates solidarity and respect for who each person is. Each community member is encouraged to state their pronouns on their nametags if they choose. We will re-direct, educate, and support those who have difficulty acclimating to this practice.
We meet once a month. If you’d like to work on creating actionable antiracism policies, we welcome your ideas!
Email info@thestonesoupcafe.org to get to Zoom link to the monthly meeting, or to share your thoughts.