George Floyd, dead at the hands of the police.
Breonna Taylor, dead at the hands of the police.
Ahmaud Arbery, dead at the hands of vigilantes.
I say their names to etch them into my heart and mind, to come to grips with the horror of it, the inhumanity of it. These names, these lives ripped from the people who called them family, called them friend, reflect only the most recent assaults by the forces of institutional racism and the resultant brutality against Black bodies.
Our Black communities are speaking up and crying out to be heard through mass protests and demonstrations all over the country. I believe that to be silent in the face of suffering of our Black brothers and sisters is to be complicit in the acts of violence against them. Therefore, we at Cinnaire add our voices to the protest; we declare that this injustice will not stand. We will do the hard work of disrupting and dismantling this inequitable system that derails dreams and shatters bodies, and condemn the behaviors that allow and perpetuate these injustices.
Because of Cinnaire’s unwavering belief that all people deserve the opportunities to live in healthy communities, when communities across America take to the streets to express deep-seated frustration and searing anger against an oppressive system, we must listen. Black people are tired. Black people are weary. They want and need to be heard, and they want desperately to hope. They want to live in healthy communities where they are seen and heard and valued for their differences.
Cinnaire’s work is focused on making healthy communities a reality. We can only do this through the dedication of our staff and the partnerships we have with individuals and organizations whose vision and values align with our own. By listening we must – and we will – continue to labor and live only in ways built on our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We pledge to continue, with renewed impetus, to:
- Support an environment where all employees have opportunities for personal growth and professional development.
- Foster strong leadership that expects and models accountability, flexibility, and candor among all staff members.
- Provide innovative, quality products that respond to to the needs of diverse customers.
- Mandate a global culture where mutual respect and inclusiveness are the standards and differing backgrounds, personal styles, and viewpoints are considered competitive assets as well as a business imperative.
- Make ethical business choices as each of us gives back to the places where we work and live.
- Become the employer of choice with a workforce that reflects the regions in which we live and work.
- Continue seeking ways to advance communities and enhance the lives and prospects of their residents by continuing to build a Cinnaire that is increasingly effective in raising and deploying capital to advance the causes of equity and justice.
May the recent headlines become our renewed call to action – We will do our part to dismantle a system of institutional racism that is breaking the backs of too many of our people, and bring a renewed focus to our work of building healthy communities and providing opportunities. Let’s do the hard work, break the chains of disparity and brutality. Make the American Dream a reality.
Sincerely,
