We are outraged and deeply saddened by the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless other Black lives that have been lost to racism and police brutality. We recognize these acts as part of a painful history of systemic racism and physical and psychological violence against Black people in the United States which dates back to slavery and remains embedded in every facet of society.
We also acknowledge that issues of institutionalized racism and police brutality have resulted in the systemic oppression of people of color both in the United States and around the world for far too long.
Luminate believes deeply that all people should have the ability to participate in their societies, receive the services that they need, and hold the powerful to account. That promise will remain unfulfilled as long as those in power choose instead to attack the courageous voices calling for justice, and as long as inherent racism continues to define basic government services, including policing and the criminal justice system.
Luminate stands and will keep standing with those fighting for justice and equality in all of the countries where we work around the world. We commit to continuing to learn from and amplify the work of Color of Change, Pop Culture Collaborative, Code for America, the Center for Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law, the Represent Justice Campaign, United We Dream, Define American, and the many other organizations striving to make communities safe, just, and fair for people of color in the United States. Beyond our current portfolio, we are also making new funding available to support organizations at the forefront of driving this change.
We recognize our responsibility to participate in the collective action required to dismantle systems of oppression and injustice – collective action that must include philanthropy, business, civil society, media and government. We commit to fulfilling that responsibility, approaching it with a genuine desire to learn from others and convinced that we can and must do better to create lasting change.