Black Lives Matter - Our Hope for Change
OUR HOPE FOR CHANGE
BLACK LIVES MATTER, YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND EVERYDAY.
Last week, as George Floyd was laid to rest, we commemorated his legacy and that of countless other victims that have suffered social injustice, discrimination, and racism throughout history. These tragic and barbaric murders have brought light to the continued struggle to end systemic racism and police brutality and have reopened wounds that are not unfamiliar to many of us who have known racism to be an ongoing problem in America for hundreds of years. As citizens around the globe continue to flood the streets in protest it’s hard to imagine anyone who hasn’t been impacted by these recent events.
At Williams Adley we too are grieving the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many other unarmed black people. These horrific events emphasize the need to address the ignorance, inequality, and racism that continues to threaten our humanity. It is our duty to one another to stand firm against such adversity to create lasting change ... change that is fueled by empathy and compassion instead of hate and animosity.
To create a better future, we must reflect on the past. The common denominator has always been hope. The kind of hope it took for the two black men who founded Williams Adley in Oakland, California in 1982 to persevere. A profound resilience that gives us the courage to stay the course during difficult times. A strong conviction that reminds us that we can and will conquer our greatest fears.
Williams Adley has maintained its rich history by building our business around the core values of diversity, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. As we have expanded and grown to meet the demands of the government financial services industry in Washington, DC, our dedication to diversity and inclusion is unwavering. We respect and build upon our differences, creating an environment for our employees, our clients, and our alumni reliant on integrity and teamwork.
Our continued framework for action is based on four pillars …
Leading by Example to be the change we wish to see in the world by making a monetary donation to support a worthy cause and using our voice within our network and beyond to call out pervasive problems.
Supporting Our People by creating a space for our employees to express their concerns during company-wide town hall meetings and encouraging anonymous feedback through employee surveys.
Targeted Recruitment & Retention Efforts providing Equal Employment Opportunities for all protected classes and continuing our rich legacy of diversity within our growing teams at all levels.
Enhancing the Community through our Annual Day of Service to our Washington, DC community and exploring ways that we can give back our time, talents, and treasures in a way that will impact change in our society.
The time is now to create a paradigm shift in race relations. Although the path forward remains uncertain, the goal is clear and we remain hopeful for better days. We will need to be patient, supportive, and diligent in pursuing the change that we all want and deserve. We must remain optimistic that we can and will make our future better than our past while remembering that it’s our differences that truly make us great.
“Although the path forward remains uncertain, the direction is clear and we remain hopeful for better days.”
