Sarah Birnbach

The impacts of the coronavirus have disproportionately impacted black Americans – higher rates of death, higher rates of unemployment – and now another drastic consequence is spreading: homelessness. The hardest hit are those Black Americans who had low incomes and little savings even before the pandemic, and who were also more likely to work in…

For those of you who, like me, are staying away from in-person protests due to being immune compromised, or are worried about contracting the coronavirus but want to make a difference, consider joining one or more of the organizations listed below or donating funds and/or your energies to help promote their missions. This is a…

Yesterday we celebrated our Independence Day –the 4th of July – honoring that day in 1776, when delegates from the original 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. Since 1776, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American Independence. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the words of the Declaration of Independence: We hold…

What’s more degrading than being targeted with harassment because of your race, sex, religion, color, gender, size, orientation, disability, age, or origin while surrounded by bystanders who see what is happening, but then do nothing? It doesn’t have to be that way. At this moment in history, we are witnessing a spike in disrespect, harassment,…

There are so many pathways to erasing racism in our country, with each pathway destined to be a marathon, rather than a sprint, that it can be hard to decide where to focus.  At least for now, I’m focusing my energies on police reform since the killing of unarmed black men by white police officers…

  Effecting change takes time. Changing a 400-year history of racism in our country will take time. And it will take courage.   I want to share a personal story – not one I’m proud of. Decades ago I was riding on public transportation in the Washington, DC area when two well-dressed white men in…

As I think about what I can do to help eradicate the racism that has plagued this country since its founding, I am coming at change from multiple directions, from the micro to the macro. This means looking first at myself, then my community, my county (including my local police force) and the country. This…

To all of our men and women in uniform, our veterans, and their families, on this Memorial Day, and every day, we thank you for your courage, dedication and service. The men and women of our Armed Forces continue to serve, both here and abroad, fighting for our freedom and the freedom of others. In…