Black Lives Matter
Programming - Apr 19, 2024
We at Cloud Four whole-heartedly support the protests and demands for justice and reform. George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. David McAtee. Rayshard Brooks. These are just a few of the Black lives lost to racism and police violence this year alone. We’re both saddened and outraged.
It’s past time to reckon with our country’s legacy of racial injustice and to demand immediate and decisive change. We stand in solidarity with the Black community, activists and citizens in protesting this ongoing, systemic and brutal racism. Black lives matter.
As the events of the last few weeks unfolded, we decided to mute all blog posts on this site. We did not want to compete or take focus from the crucial conversations about race and injustice that are happening here in the US.
During this time, we have been listening and learning. We recognize our privilege and existence within the very same system of power and oppression that we denounce. These are painful conversations, but it is time for all of us to have them.
It is also time for action. We believe those of us with influence have a responsibility to use it on behalf of those who don’t. We’ve taken the following actions so far:
- We’ve made a one-time and recurring monthly donation to the Portland NAACP. The lump sum is to help support immediate actions taking place here in Portland; the monthly donation provides some predictability and sustainability to the organization even if this issue is no longer front-of-mind in mainstream America. We believe in the mission of the NAACP and are proud to contribute financially to the cause.
- We’ve made Juneteenth an official paid company holiday, and we’re encouraging employees to spend that day on introspection and education, as well as celebration of this important day in history.
- We’re setting up a quarterly accountability check-in with the management team so issues of diversity, inclusion and justice are explicitly discussed and reviewed. This will help ensure that we don’t lose focus over time. More on this soon, as we determine what will work best and be most effective.
- We’re offering free consulting hours to organizations working on social justice issues in Portland and the surrounding areas. If you need advice that falls into our area of expertise, please email info@cloudfour.com and let’s discuss how we can help you move forward.
There is more to do. We have more ideas, but we’re still figuring out exactly what this means for us as a small company with big aspirations. We will continue to talk about this, both internally and on this blog. Until then, we want the people of color that are our friends, our family, our colleagues, and our neighbors, to know that we are here and we will continue to fight with you.
