We are profoundly saddened by George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. And we are outraged. But this statement isn’t about how we feel. It’s about state-sanctioned violence against Black and Brown people. It’s about the devaluing of Black and Brown bodies. It’s about the systemic racism that leads to a white police officer putting his knee on the neck of a black man for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, stealing his last breath from him. It’s about 3 other officers watching him die and preventing others from intervening.
Voqal strives to create a more socially just and equitable world. We fund organizations, like Black Visions Collective and Color of Change, that are doing the real work on the ground day in and day out. But it’s not enough. We are failing our Black brothers and sisters.
It’s easy for us, from our place of privilege, to assert #BlackLivesMatter. But as an organization that is predominantly white and has benefited greatly from white power, we must do more.
So, to our BIPOC friends and grantees, we will say this: We will not pretend to know the answer but we are committed to taking actions both internally and externally that address this crisis. We will say his name: George Floyd. We call this what it is – not a “few bad apples” but systemic white supremacy. And we will humbly follow your lead.