Last week, we watched armed insurrectionists swarm the United States Capitol building in a riot that was as shocking as it was predictable. While we hope it goes without saying, let us be perfectly clear:
We wholeheartedly condemn the actions of these insurrectionists, and join with other philanthropists and leaders across the country in calling for meaningful change.
This attack on American democracy was a product of white supremacy, a public demonstration of the reach and violence of a system designed to uphold the power of a few at the expense of the many. These events--and the police reaction to them--also served as further proof of the deeply entrenched racism in our country’s systems that serves to uphold that supremacy.
There have been many statements floating around lately claiming that “This is not America,” when, in fact, this is America: a country built on racial inequalities from its earliest days, and one whose systems continue to both thrive on and reinforce those same inequalities. This is America, even if we do not want that to be the case. This is America, even if those who hold immense privilege--ourselves included--would prefer to imagine otherwise. This is America, even if it is more comfortable to believe otherwise.
We are committed to building the equitable and just society we all imagine we live in when we hear the phrase, “This is not America.” To that end, we:
Have signed on to this letter from philanthropic leaders to our members of Congress;
Renew our commitment to our own anti-racism work, both personally and as individuals, and collectively and as an institution;
Call on our peers in the philanthropic sector to do the same, and recognize Exponent Philanthropy, of which we are a member, for their own call to action;
Ask our non-profit partners to reflect on the ways they can dismantle the systems of white supremacy in our country; and
Commit to being open to dialogues with these partners about how we can best support that work.
We wish for each of you the space you need to rest, recharge, and process all that is happening around us today, in hopes that you are prepared to join us in the work that lies ahead.