We are grieving. We are livid. For far too long, we’ve witnessed the horrific effects of systemic racism. The recent murders of Black people — George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery — have led to mothers and fathers losing their sons and daughters, children losing a parent, and communities losing their brothers and sisters. This is inhumane; this is unlawful; this is outrageous. We are also grappling with the collective inaction that has enabled these systemic and tragic acts of injustice. And, how, after so many years, White Americans have failed our fellow Black Americans again and again through neglect, dehumanization and violent acts. People across the world are uniting and demanding racial justice. We stand with them.
We must do more.
Our hearts are broken for the families and communities of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless other men, women and children who have been killed. And we stand in resolute support and solidarity with all those fighting for racial equity, justice and systemic change.
Institutional and systemic racism has and will continue to dismantle our communities and our society. It must stop. We cannot lose another life as they gasp, “I can’t breathe.” America, “I can’t breathe.”
As an immediate step, we are committing financial resources to Black leaders and Black-led community organizations — and will share more on this in the coming days.
As a philanthropic investment firm, we know that we are part of the problem.
But, we are not willing to sit back and not be part of the solution. We have a diverse team and community and have started on a journey towards justice. We know the work runs deep and requires incessant intention and focus. Thus, to our portfolio, our partners, our community, we commit to:
We know we won’t always get it right, but we will be committed to doing it together.
We passionately believe that education is a critical path toward justice and equity. That path requires equal access to education and opportunities from the start, during early childhood and throughout the learning journey. Right now, the systemic inequities that plague our world are rampant in our education systems — here in the United States and globally. They are often rooted in the misaligned allocation of power and resources, anchored in institutional and systemic racism. Of course, education is not enough. Criminal justice, law enforcement, health, housing and more, all necessitate massive reorientation. To change our systems — as we must — requires an urgent and unflagging commitment to equity, specifically racial equity.
We are firmly committed to drive and to support this change, now and in the future. At Imaginable Futures, we seek aligned partners to co-create an education system that is both equitable from the start and that cultivates citizens and leaders who can create a better world for all of us. Citizens and leaders who are anti-racist.
There is much work to do. We know that we are failing the challenge before us. And, we don’t have all the answers on the path ahead. Yet, we do have an unshakable commitment to listening and learning — and acting — together. We must unite and say, “NO MORE.” The world must not forget how we feel in this moment, and we must hold ourselves accountable. We are grateful for those galvanizing collective action for justice, risking their lives for societal change. Together, we will be part of the solution so all can breathe.