Community Statement – January 7, 2021

2021 continues to remind us that leadership without community feeds oppression, governance without justice fuels violence, and opportunity without access upholds inequality. What the January 6th riots on Capitol Hill have proven to us is that an America without truth breeds white supremacy.

At OppNet, we know these realities all too well which is why we strive to build a world that nurtures leadership at every level across our communities, grounds our practices in the pursuit of justice, and tackles stubborn structural barriers that get in the way of our students’ ambitions.

Organizer, abolitionist, and educator Mariame Kaba said, “Hope is a discipline.” As we settle into this new year, my intention for the OppNet community is for us to be ruthlessly disciplined about hope and to honor what’s possible through deliberate actions anchored in community, justice, and access.

We believe that a life led through self-determination that results in collective care and shared prosperity is possible for this nation. 2021 will be another year that helps us bring that belief to fruition.

In community,
AiLun Ku

OppNet President & CEO