We don’t want to make a statement. We want to make a change.

For years, on a regular basis, we’ve seen videos of Black people being killed. We all have. We can replay them in our minds on demand. There are so many.

But they are just a tiny fraction of the total amount of violence – beatings, murder, redlining, employment discrimination – going back to slave trading even prior to Jamestown in 1619 when American racism got its start (source). And this is just physical violence. The inequities are much much deeper.

There is a historical perspective. Read up.

There is a personal perspective. Ask people about their experience.

There is a data perspective. Let’s just look at our hometown.

  • Over the last 10 years, Chicago alone has paid out $524,000,000 to settle lawsuits with police (source)
  • The average white household has 10x the wealth of the average black household (source)
  • Residents in the mostly white neighborhood of Streeterville live an average of 30 years longer than the residents of Englewood, nine miles away (source)

Now, it changes.

That is a hopeful statement, but we have reasons to hope.

  • The protesters are diverse
  • The protests are global
  • Protests grow in the face of the pandemic (hope > fear)
  • Protests are peaceful and growing by the day
  • Legislation for police reform is in progress

What are we going to do?

Our immediate goals are to educate ourselves and then take the following steps to make positive contributions to an inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist economy and society:

Act and Express

  • We encourage marching, writing, speaking out
  • Use Orbit’s time and talents to make a positive impact in our Black communities
  • Hold ourselves and each other accountable
  • Use our platform in this industry to amplify other voices

Educate

  • We ask all Orbiteers to read How to Be An Anti-Racist by leading anti-racist scholar Ibram X. Kendi
  • We’ll hold team discussions using the book as a guide
  • We will listen to other voices and share what we have learned

Evaluate

  • Take a test to measure your own implicit racial bias
  • Evaluate our internal practices to understand flaws in diversity and inclusion
  • Create policies and initiatives to address our issues
  • Look to lead an industry that is too often closed, insular, and not diverse
  • Continue to listen, learn, and unlearn

Helpful Resources

We have been building and sharing a library of resources and places to take action and donate for ourselves and our community.

On behalf of the Orbiteers,

Andy Crestodina, Barrett McIntosh-Lombardo, & Todd Gettelfinger