Black Lives Matter

Why diversity without inclusion means nothing

If you are following the George Floyd / Breonna Taylor / Ahmaud Arbery / etc. crisis and feeling disheartened, confused or helpless, do not let your discomfort or despair paralyze you into silence or inaction.

It's easy to turn off the TV, close the browser tab, or redirect the conversation to the nature of the protests instead of the root problems of racism and police brutality. However, black people don't enjoy our privilege of being able to disengage with these issues whenever we feel like it, and bear the double burden of having to deal with injustice AND educate others about it.

Please check in on your black friends and colleagues. Feeling awkward is no excuse for staying silent. Being afraid of “saying the wrong thing” is no excuse for staying silent. Being afraid that posting something “political” online might damage your reputation is no excuse for staying silent. This is not a political issue, it is a human issue.

If you care about diversity and inclusion, please use your privilege and platform to educate yourself, listen to your black friends and colleagues, acknowledge their pain, and create safe and inclusive spaces to foster these important conversations.

Black lives matter more than buildings and property.
Black lives matter more than your comfort.
Black lives matter.

#blacklivesmatter #diversity #inclusion