We have watched with outrage and heartbreak the events surrounding the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. We stand in solidarity with the Black community against violence, hate and injustice. This has nothing to do with politics—it has to do with human rights. Everyone has a right to feel safe and protected regardless of the color of their skin.
At MediaMath, we strive to create a diverse, inclusive and safe community through our recruiting and hiring practices and celebrate our diversity through our Diversity and Inclusion Council and employee resource groups. However, we know we must do better, both as individuals and as a company. From a diversity and inclusion perspective, we are nowhere near where we need to be. We pledge to our employees, clients and partners to reflect deeply on what we need to do to change this and then work unceasingly to make it so.
This includes, first and foremost, listening to our black colleagues to understand how they feel, what they have experienced and how we can support them. Then, to effect real change, we must hold our leaders accountable for creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. We cannot delegate this work to anyone else in the organization or on our teams. It is a personal responsibility for every leader and will have an impact that shows over time.
The work to end systematic racism and injustice will require constant work, from top to bottom, across all spheres of our lives. We cannot forget the task ahead for all of us when the heavy media attention wanes. What we do in the face of the ugliness we are witnessing right now—ugliness that has reared its head in some form countless times over the course of American history—will define the future for the next generation. We all belong. Let’s work to create a world in which everyone truly feels this every day of their lives.