The Zerion Software team represents a variety of nationalities. As such, we thought we were diverse. We felt like we have celebrated diversity among team members, encouraged the sharing of cultural traditions, and – perhaps most importantly – made an effort to listen to, and respond to, the needs of those within our community, within our customers’ communities, and in our worlds.
Today, especially after the events of the past few weeks, we’ve realized that we are not diverse. In fact, we’ve had to acknowledge a hard truth: we live in a bubble where it’s very easy to forget differences, even in the name of diversity.
We have to do better. We commit to doing better. It must start now.
As a team, we are outraged at the injustices, murders, and hatred shown to Black members of our nation and the violent responses to the protests that have arisen since then. We believe that educating ourselves, speaking out at injustice, and standing together with those who have been systemically victimized and oppressed is just as important as standing for diversity within our own team.
We believe that right now, action is essential, and that silence will do nothing but perpetuate the wrongs that have become far too common in our world. We believe that black lives should not be erased or forgotten in the name of political correctness. We believe in saying their names: George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Tony McDade. Dion Johnson.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s words still resonate with us today. King knew, “through painful experience, that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
As such, Zerion Software stands in solidarity with Black communities. We grieve with them. We stand beside them. We are angered and anguished. We feel compelled to learn, to act, to challenge racial wrongs, to learn from those who are hurting on a national yet personal level, and to invest in and support organizations actively working toward reconciliation and a better future: one where equality is more than just a dream.
We call for an end to Black murder, marginalization, and repression. We challenge those in leadership positions, President Trump and elected officials on all sides of the political spectrum to commit publically to healing and reconciliation, no matter the cost. We call for peaceful and public support of protestors rather than aggressive responses and for the disavowing of white supremacy and nationalist groups that have added fuel to this 400-year-old fire.
We challenge Congress to pass H.R. 40, to publicly commission a study that examines the effects of slavery and discrimination from its inception until now, and to recommend and fund remedies to these effects. Injustice must be recognized to be reconciled: this requires a national effort worthy of immediate attention and action.
We call on law enforcement groups across the country, and those within the judicial system, to act immediately on wrongs committed against our Black neighbors, to immediately charge those responsible without the need for international outcry, and complete and total intolerance of racially-fueled violence. We call on the reinstation of policies that were disbanded during the current administration that included consent decrees and the curbing of police abuse.
Internally – we encourage discussion among team members, a commitment to learning, and the development of an environment where challenging beliefs is considered a means for growth and development.
We must recognize and call out privilege where it exists, in those around us and in our own hearts. We must take responsibility for incomprehensible acts of the past – including the very recent past – and we must create a future where justice is not an afterthought. A world where “all men are created equal” cannot exist until these actions are completed and equality becomes the norm. Action must be taken today: tomorrow is not soon enough.
