We are heartbroken over the unconscionable killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and the disproportionate and continued suffering inflicted on Black men and women due to the systematic racism that persists across our society.  It’s important for us to speak up against this injustice, to acknowledge our privilege and advocate for the change needed to create a more equitable world.

We are inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests that continue across the world that shine light on the need for all people to address this inequity and commit to contributing to long-term change.

Our first step is to look inward to improve our commitment and action to diversity equity and inclusion principles and to address immediate needs by donating to nonprofits that promote equity in our community, including:

• Don’t Shoot Portland https://www.dontshootpdx.org/ which supports activists and works to shift cultural and systemic discrimination
• Wild Diversity https://wilddiversity.com/ which creates a sense of belonging in the outdoors for BIPOC & LGBTQ+ communities
• Black Food Sovereignty Coalition, https://blackfoodnw.org/ which confronts the systemic barriers that make food, place and economic opportunities inaccessible to Black and Brown communities

We are fortunate to be surrounded by an impact community and nonprofit partners that offer guidance on how we can be appropriate advocates and contribute to lasting change.   We are dedicated to becoming better advocates for climate justice and racial equity.