Black lives matter
Like most, I am deeply troubled by both historic and recent violent injustices within a tilted system, leaders who choose to divide rather than unify, and the thick blanket of uncertainty and inconsistency that surrounds us all. It’s been a tough few weeks, a hard few months and, honestly, an exhausting three years.
Yet throughout all those challenges, nobody has denied my ability to do anything -- to live, to work, to play, to breathe -- because of the color of my skin.
Pale Morning Media came to life in October, 2001, during a few pre-dawn moments in which -- despite its own dark season of tragedy, violence and uncertainty -- everything somehow seemed possible. No peak was too high. No distance was too great. No obstacle, even launching a business during what surely was the worst of times, was too challenging.
Thinking back, it’s clear that in that early morning glow, there were other outdoor truisms that should have been included: that all are equal, all are welcome, and all should have the opportunity of experiencing the joys and benefits of an unbiased natural world.
At Pale Morning Media, we believe Black lives matter, we support the essential human right to gather and speak, and we are thankful for the conscientious protesters who are encouraging us all to live up to our values. We are also aware of our own need for positive change, particularly in how we relate personally and professionally to Black, Indigenous, People of Color and other marginalized identities, and we are looking with a new lens on what we used to think was normal.
Our exact plans for long-term, positive change are certainly not complete nor perfect, as we are still learning. However, we want there to be no mistaking the intent of our quiet deliberation on this topic. With our choice of words and actions, we either make space or we fill space.
Our initial approach includes three levels;
First, we are evaluating changes to our core business goals, our day-to-day practices, our input points for strategy development, our annual charitable giving schedule, our community volunteer commitments and our most fundamental efforts to educate ourselves.
Second, we are acknowledging that real progress starts at the most basic level -- at home, with friends and co-workers, and within small groups.
Third, we are looking at ways to provide value during the November election cycle, both directly and indirectly, to support anti-racist candidates and initiatives, and to defeat those who openly encourage or enable racist policies.
It’s a massive understatement to say that I feel incredibly lucky to have had the ability to pause, to breathe, and to reflect on these topics over the last month. Clearly, not everybody has this luxury, though for those who do, it makes their eventual choices all the more important.