Growing up, “2020” was the year everyone referred to as the future. There was an idyllic aura around it. “Researcher’s say that in 2020…”, with jokes, tv shows, books often using “2020” as the reference point for that thing we would finally accomplish in the future.
Here we are. We’re in what I had imagined as a young girl would be a picturesque year. One that would have flying cars, communities living on space stations, and high-speed travel. By the time 2020 came around, I assumed we would have fixed all the world’s problems.
This year has been very different than the dreams of the past. It has tested us in ways we never would have imagined would happen in our lifetime. But this last month has also brought with it a time of reflection this country has so desperately needed.
We mourn the horrific deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks and so many others. With my mourning has come disgust, frustration, guilt, sadness, and at the end of it all hope. It’s been inspiring watching the country come together in acts of support and protest. The stories that I’m hearing are opening my eyes. I’ve had conversations with my 4 year-old daughter about race and racism, something I never anticipated bringing up until she was older. However challenging, I’m grateful for this wake-up call to start these conversations early.
At Millie, we unequivocally believe that Black Lives Matter. We also recognize the collective power of moving beyond beliefs to action. We’re matching our teams’ donations to nonprofits making an impact in the Black Lives Matter movement, many of which are featured in the collections below. We’re also observing Juneteenth this Friday, June 19th and are taking the opportunity to engage with antiracist materials. As a team, the conversations we’ve had have often led us to the broader questions. How do we zoom out from the current conversation and look at the systemic racism beyond policing? Where else is racism embedded? Where else can we make an impactful difference? While policing is one part of the criminal justice system, we were inspired by the work of so many great organizations focused on unjust prosecution and incarceration. Because ultimately, when you look at the number of lives taken by wrongful convictions and harsh race-imposed sentencing, we are talking about hundreds of thousands of years of lives stolen.
I’m really proud of the team and all the incredible work they’ve been doing putting together resources. I’ve included those resources below.
We are steadfast in both our mission to build a home for giving back, as well as our commitment to helping drive this crucial change.
In gratitude,
Rachel
Black Lives Matter | A Collection
Combatting Injustice in the Criminal Justice System | A Collection
Organizations, Films, & Books on Racial Injustice in the Criminal Justice System
