Burlington Coalition for Dismantling Racisim

Our mission is to expose, disrupt, and dismantle racism and racist systems while simultaneously rebuilding the Burlington community. Our values include: Justice, Peace, Transparency, Unity, and Kindness. Our vision is for people of color to experience Burlington as a racially safe, equitable, and inclusive community. Promoting Racial Justice, Equity and Inclusion Since 2020, we have brought a Juneteenth celebration to the Burlington community to promote awareness of racial justice issues. Each February, we host programming to celebrate Black History Month to learn about and celebrate black traditions. Each year, we donate hundreds of books featuring characters and authors of color along with Crayola “World of Color” crayons to Burlington schools.

BCDR is the only group in Racine County (maybe even in the state) that does this level of anti-racism and advocacy working a heterogeneously white small-town setting. Our approach is unique in that it: Recognizes and creatively confronts the existence of racism in a predominantly white small town where issues of race and equity are frequently denied, minimized, or ignored Provides support for people of color who experience systemic and pervasive prejudice in the school system, local government and police, or in economic/work environments Serves as a watchdog and advocate for re-dress of racist and/or biased behavior in the community and its social structures Is committed to educating its own members as well as the larger community on issues of systemic racism and unconscious bias