Letter: Grafton RISE looks to build inclusive community

Dear Fellow Graftonites,

We are the admin team for the Grafton Racial Inclusion and Social Equity (RISE) group and we are writing to introduce ourselves and our work for those who may not know us. We would also love for any like-minded people in Grafton to join RISE!

RISE started in the spring of 2020 in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Our local high school students inspired us with their social justice actions; as a result RISE was started as a Facebook group and has grown to include community building and advocacy. 

Our group description reads, “This is a safe space for Grafton residents to discuss and address racism locally and nationally. We are here to reflect on and create a space for BIPoC in the community to share their experiences as Grafton residents if they wish to do so. We will also work to provide resources for White folks on an anti-racist journey to learn more about systemic racism and act as allies. We promote education and actions (small and large). Our hope is to organize to create a more inclusive and respectful community.” 

Our activities have included: anti-racism and social justice stand-outs, work towards the passage of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Juneteenth in Grafton at Town Meeting, a family-friendly walk in the Hassanamisco woods to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, school clean-ups around Dr. Martin Luther King Day, a book group, virtual and in-person meetings to work towards more inclusion in Grafton. 

All of the group admins are volunteers and live in Grafton. We are from different walks of life but we share a common goal of anti-racism and pro-inclusion. 

Some question if we are a political group. This is a tricky question. We do not consider RISE to be partisan. While we plan to support candidates for office that share our values through advocacy, on a case-by-case basis, we would also not hesitate to ask difficult questions of these same people.  

Check us out at https://www.graftonrise.com/mission-and-vision, ask us anything in the comments, or contact us at Graftonrise@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Lyric Baker
Lisa Krissoff Boehm
Amar Clark
Marilyn Cushner
Julie Feeney
Rachel Gerstein
Lee Hume
Charlotte Jordan
Chantelle Kimball
Sarah Vacca