On August 29, 2023, a public elementary school in my neighborhood in Oakland, California was closed for the day because of an emailed bomb threat. Incredibly, the threat of violence came about as a reaction to a weekend playdate at the school for children of color and their families, an effort by the school community to create a safe and welcoming space for all children.
If you are a compassionate human, you might be thinking:
Why would anyone threaten violence against children because of an invitation to Black, Brown, Asian and Pacific-Islander families to come to the school on a Saturday to play, socialize, and create a sense of community?