We recently returned from a small ship cruise to the islands near the West African coast. Our visit to Gorée, a 45 acre island off the coast of Senegal, was unforgettable. Countless slaves were processed on this tiny strip of land between mid-1500s and mid-1800s. The Door of No Return represented where slaves were boarded on ships to the Americas or tossed to the sharks should they die before embarkation. It was a tearful reminder of our terrible history.
We came home to Utah to the news of the DEI purge by the Utah Legislature. We are distressed that our indigenous tribes may be robbed of college opportunities and that the message to all people of color is that we take no responsibility for our history of racism. The effort to humiliate transgender youth adds to our distress. I am embarrassed for our state and hope the Olympic Committee and pro-baseball commissioners say “never mind.”
Christine B. Helfrich, Millcreek
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