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Saludos LREP Community,
As we end February, the symbolic month for celebrating Black history, we understand that only symbolically celebrating and acknowledging Black people only impacts racial equity if it also includes consistent and intentional action throughout the year. In our continued commitment towards addressing anti-Blackness in our communities and other forms of inequality, we asked our teams to share how they have been inspired, benefited from and been transformed by the leadership of Black people. Read some of their replies below and get to know our team more. Let’s not stop celebrating Black History, contributions and people once the month is over—let’s continue to be inspired to interrupt racism in our work, homes and communities all year long!
In solidarity,
LREP Team
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Amate Perez, Pipil Nuatl, se-we (founder & Emergent Strategy Director)
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“My work now is focused on recognizing that our history doesn’t start when we came to or were born in this country. Our history starts from being racialized in our home countries and for being terrorized in our home countries because of the United States and its understanding around race.”
–Janvieve Williams Comrie, co-founder of LREP
“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
–James Baldwin
 I start by sharing some of the ideas from Black teachers that have had an impact on my leadership. Some had shaped me for decades and some are more recent additions. I share them trusting they too will inspire you. Celebrating Black (history) contributions and the disparities Black people face is not something we pay attention to once a year. It is an everyday practice. We, non-Black Latinx benefit from racism as this brutal and exploitative system puts us at a rung, or two or many up, from Black folks in the US, the America’s and the world. Therefore, we have a responsibility to understand how we have been socialized to accept Black racism, replicate it and to maintain it. Becoming aware is an on-going process that requires humility and hard work to unlearn. Hiring Black people, supporting Black businesses, following Black leadership, and supporting the funding of Black lead organizations are some of the ways we can contribute to improving the lives of Black communities in the US, Latin America and the World.
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Fatima Youssef, Black/Palestinian, she / ella (Administrative Assistant)
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 I'm deeply grateful for the tenacious spirit of my beautiful Black people and for the foundation that has been laid by my ancestors to build liberation spaces that continue to benefit POC around the world and shape our collective struggle to dismantle and unteach White Supremacy. ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
My favorite quote by a Black movement leader and teacher: "It is crucial for the future of the Black liberation struggle that we remain ever mindful that ours is a shared struggle, that we are each other's fate." —bell hooks
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Claudia León, mixed Mexican-Purépecha, she / ella (Program Manager)
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 I continue to be a humble learner in the progress towards racial equity, and am grateful to the generous spirit of the black leaders, friends and colleagues who have shown me strength, compassion and resilience in how they walk their path of liberation. I have been inspired to continue to do my part to support the foundation that has been laid towards equality and justice by Black people to move our communities towards belonging, wholeness and to thrive within our collective strength. Uplifting and supporting Black leadership means uplifting it for us all. In lak’ech-tu eres mi otro yo- you are my other self.
"When we identify where our privilege intersects with somebody else's oppression, we'll find our opportunities to make real change." —Ijeoma Oluo, So You Want to Talk About Race
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LREP Trainers
Alberto Perez Rendon, Maya Yucateco, he / his / him
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 Black leaders and movements in the US and around the world teach us all to never give up in our demands for a more equitable and just society and for full and unconditional liberation of our peoples. Even during the hardest of times in their suffering and struggle, black communities never gave up and have brought us all to a better place and time, we owe a great deal to them and are obliged to continue the struggle to honor their memory and suffering. We are blessed to have their example, wisdom and the path that they created for us to move forward.
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aa Valdivia, Black Boricua Xicanx, they / them / x e, Hella queer
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 Listen to Afro-Indigenous peoples! Listen with your heart and center Black voices. Listen to Black women!! Listen to Black Queer folks!
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LREP Collaborators
Fernando Marquez, he / him, Mixed race Colombian-Mexican-American
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 From growing up in San Francisco to living in my family's hometown in Cali (Colombia), Black folks have taught me more lessons in organizing, community work, and love than I could ever repay back. From the teachings of James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Tupac, my community mentors, and even the salsa music I listen to daily, la comunidad Afro has always provided strength to do this work with solidarity, love, and trusting of the guidance of Black leadership."
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Hip hop album recommendation: "Be" by Common
Salsa recommendation: "Raices" by Celia Cruz and Sonora Ponceña