Sometimes it is hard to know where to begin. For the past several days, we have been actively listening to and learning from those most directly impacted by the horrific murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, George Floyd, and many more. Many of us have been processing these tragedies, the larger issues facing the Black community, and talking with each other about what we should do as individuals, as community members, and CSD representatives.

While we still have many questions, one thing is certain: CSD vehemently and explicitly condemns all forms of racial violence and racism. We unequivocally believe Black Lives Matter.

At the same time, we realize we have much to learn and work to do to dismantle oppressive social and political systems that deserve no place in our world. We understand this work begins with our daily actions, and that we must all commit to learning, listening, and pushing for progress. This includes people with privilege, like myself, and many within our organization.

As a first step, CSD has met with team members from the Black community and other communities of color to listen to their concerns and understand the injustices they face. We will continue these meetings through this week and next. We aim to identify ways that white and other non-Black employees can do the work, plus push for actionable steps for our company to contribute to Black Lives Matter and address racial disparities within CSD and our community. We recognize that we have not done enough and that we must do more to create a truly just and equitable world that places the dignity of all human life above all else.

In the coming weeks, the measures defined by our team will be published on our website. We ask that our employees, our partners, and community members hold us accountable through this process. We believe that Black voices matter. Black leadership matters. And in this spirit, we will continue looking to Black leaders and organizations – echoing their messages and supporting their work as best we can.

These are initial steps only for us to build upon. We are listening and we welcome constructive feedback from our employees and our community. We encourage you to reach out via email at share@csd.org.

We stand with you. #BlackLivesMatter.

In Solidarity,
Chris Soukup, CEO of CSD