Yadira Landaverde

1022 Arroyo Drive

Salida, CO 81210

September 16, 2020

Gail J. McGovern
President and Chief Executive Officer
American Red Cross National Headquarters
431 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Dear Ms. McGovern:

I am writing this letter to bring to your attention an offensive message

that was produced by your organization. Recently, on September 14 th,
2020, I visited the Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center with my younger
siblings where I observed a racist pool safety poster. The poster showed
several children playing in a pool with each other, but the white children
were shown to be following the rules and displaying a “cool” behavior
while the children of color are shown to be acting unruly and are labeled
as “not cool.” This portrayal of cultures within our society is a
discriminatory action that needs to be addressed and resolved so that it is
not repeated.
As a minority individual, I was extremely upset at the misrepresentation
of the image, and I was also concerned about the impact that it would
have on my sisters to see this form of exclusion. A swimming pool
facility should be a place where everyone feels welcome and where we
can all come together to enjoy a fun activity. The message that you
endorsed within the poster clearly portrays a view that is not supportive
of all demographics and that has no place in a public institution.
I spoke to the management team at the pool facility, and they removed
the poster, but I am still confused as to how it was circulated in the first
place. As a humanitarian organization that prides itself on alleviating
human suffering, I would expect that you would want to be more
diligent with the material that you publish moving forward. To ensure
that this transgression does not repeat itself, I would suggest
collaborating directly with communities where minority children do not
have access to aquatic centers. The production of the poster should be
stopped indefinitely, and I would also review the policies that you have
instituted for creating your campaigns. A diversity task force should also
be formed so that the organization stays committed to promoting equity
and inclusion.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Please take note of my
suggestions, and I would appreciate a formal explanation. I think that we
can both agree that the current situation is not acceptable and that we
need to work on providing more opportunities for future generations. If
you have any questions, you can email me at yland22@yahoo.com, or
call me at 505-247-9321. I look forward to your timely reply.

Sincerely,

Yadira Landaverde