Hate Has No Home Here, But Love Does
A Letter from King Street Center’s Executive Director, Shabnam Nolan
Dear friends,
As one King Street Center staff member recently put it, it feels like each week brings a new heartbreak to address in our community. I wish it wasn’t another one of those weeks.
As you know, this past Saturday three Palestinian men were targeted by a white man in Burlington. While the investigation has not yet legally proven it as a hate crime, it is quite clear this was a hateful act of violence and has left many in our community worried about the safety of their children, families, and themselves, especially those of the Muslim faith – a faith an overwhelming majority of King Street Center families practice.
We are all feeling sad, angry, and frustrated. There is a lot of hurt and harm in our world right now spanning across countries and faiths, and has most recently had devastating impacts on the Muslim and Jewish communities. It affects us all in different ways. I wish I had an answer or solution.
What I can tell you is that hate has no home here - not in Vermont, and not at King Street Center, and we will do everything in our power to uphold this. I believe that when we are faced with hate, it is important to think about its counter: love.
In may take a bit more effort in a time where tragedy seems to surround us, but there is love everywhere we look. This Center, our youth and families, our community – are all about love and the promise that investing in our youth means a future where there is less hate and harm.
What our staff, volunteers, mentors, board members, and supporters – what all of you – do every day to show up for these kids and spread that love so the families who come through our doors can not only feel safe, but celebrated, is critical. Every day, we foster an invaluable space where our community, especially BIPOC and those of the Muslim faith, can find comfort in knowing that when they’re here, they can breathe through challenges and know they belong.
I know love is not enough to take away the worry, but I believe it can ease it, and that is something we can offer to each other, and to our youth and families.
Safety at King Street Center continues to be a top discussion – one that we are investing heavily in right now – and we will continue to identify ways to help ensure the safety of our King Street Community.
With deep love for our community,
