May 29, 2020
Dear Startup Ladies Community,
Our black colleagues, friends, and family are hurting because of a series of inexcusable racist, cruel, and brutal acts by racist, cruel and brutal white people.
To my black colleagues and friends, I am deeply sorry. I am sickened by the overt aggression and covert silence by white people. I am by your side in mourning, in anger, and in hope of justice and true equality in our lifetime.
As we mourn and memorialize Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and others--and process the racist behavior of Amy Cooper--the business community must acknowledge and address systemic racism in our society. Our black colleagues are fearful that white people will continue to ignore racism in the workplace, brutalize their children, and turn a blind eye when police murder innocent black people.
We cannot go about our business and pretend these things didn't happen. The white business community needs to stop being silent when we see racism surfacing in the workplace. We need to engage in difficult discussions about structural racism. We need to listen to black communities and ask how we can be of service.
I encourage the Startup Ladies community to join me as I continue to educate myself about racism by reading articles and books, watching films, and listening to leaders of the black community. I will hold myself and my family, friends, and colleagues accountable.
The Startup Ladies will not tolerate racism in any form. We are committed to keeping our community safe for people of every race, gender, religion, sexuality, and country of origin.
If there are any ways that I or The Startup Ladies can be of service to the black community please do not hesitate to contact me at Kristen@TheStartupLadies.org
or 317-645-6494.
Sincerely,
Kristen Cooper
CEO & Founder, The Startup Ladies
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