This has been a hard week as we grapple with how to communicate with you. We have not centered our work on the experience of Black folks in tech — nor in the community — in the past and do not want to be disingenuous claiming solidarity with the movement for Black lives. We want to avoid the cycle of private outrage → public statement → donation → silence + inaction while also knowing that Black Lives Matter.
We know some of our Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and ally readers fight this battle every day. We also know that recent events have inspired people to leave the sidelines and speak up for the first time — and there are many of us who fall somewhere in between. This week, we are going to provide you with two things.
Information: If you want to take action or better understand the issue there are plenty of resources out there — the internet is your friend. Our friends at Tech:NYC have compiled a comprehensive list of actions and learning resources. Black Tech for Black Lives invites Black tech workers and leaders to commit to strategically lend their voices and resources. For Seattle-specific actions, check out The Evergrey and KEXP’s resource page. If you are ready to dive deep into hard questions, read Melia LaCour, writing in the South Seattle Emerald, who makes A Call to White People.
Action: sea.citi is committing to include explicit discussions about structural and institutional racism in our Roadmap to Recovery Series. Discussions of community issues touch on racial inequities by their very nature. We promise to not shy away from naming the forces that perpetuate these inequities and discussing how racial equity is foundational to recovery.
Humbly,
Nicholas Merriam, sea.citi CEO & Luanda Arai, sea.citi Program Manager
Hear from Jorge Barón, Executive Director of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, about how COVID-19’s impact on immigrant communities affects overall public health and economic stability. We’ll also ask how institutional and structural racism show up in immigration processes. REGISTER NOW
On Deck: The Role of Art in Pandemic, Thu. June 18, 12:00-12:30pm PT
Hear from Regan Pro, Seattle Art Museum’s Deputy Director of Education & Public Engagement about the pandemic’s impact on local arts organizations. We’ll also ask how art can play a critical role in documenting a crisis, alleviating stresses associated with a pandemic, and creating structural change and equity. REGISTER NOW
