We Stand With the Black Community and BLM Protesters

Those of you who know us even a little, know who we are and where we stand. However, in this time of long overdue righteous upheaval and positive change — a time when silence makes us complicit, when silence is violence and death — it is not enough to for you to know, or to assume you know who we are.

To do our part, to contribute to support and solidarity, recognition and restitution, justice, peace and equality, we must declare where we stand, who and what we support. We will not declare it quietly, but rather we will declare it loudly, visibly, repeatedly, and continually. So, after a month of protests and outrage since the murder of George Floyd, and to honor all the people of color murdered over the years, we proudly declare where we stand, and who we support on this very special day of celebration: the Juneteenth.

The date of June 19th in 1865 marks when the last enslaved people were declared, and informed publicly in the State of Texas, that they were all free people; fully two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was made and signed into law of the United States. Since then this date has been referred to as the Juneteenth and the effort to make this anniversary of real independence into a national holiday has been in progress for over 150 years! 

Now, fueled by the Black Lives Matter protests in recent weeks, the Juneteenth holiday movement has come into the national awareness, with many states, and corporations (Nike, Chase Bank, etc.) rushing to declare their support of it being made into a national holiday. Please read more about the history of the Juneteenth and contribute to related causes (as we have) to support this movement as well.

WE DECLARE THAT:

• We stand with and support the Black Community, the Black Lives Matter cause, and the Protesters.
• We stand with and support all Indigenous Peoples, and all People-Of-Color in the USA, and globally.
• We stand with and support, in this “Pride Month” all LGBTQIA Black, Indigenous, and People-Of-Color.
• We commit ourselves personally, and in all activities and interactions of our company, to amplifying black voices.
• We commit to listening and learning more in the days ahead, so that we can be better and do more.

In conclusion, we offer this powerful, moving song from the heart and soul of 12-year old Keedron Bryant (co-written by his mother), in a remix version. Be sure to seek out the original version with just his soaring voice… Since this video went viral as an anthem of the BLM movement, Keedron has signed a record deal with Warner Music.)