To our Pursuit community,
We write to you in a time of heartbreak and outrage. Like many of you, we are angry, sad, and in pain.
We are sickened and distraught by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. They are the latest in a list of countless atrocities committed against Black Americans. These violent and hateful actions are a callous disregard for human dignity, and they represent the institutional racism so deeply embedded in our country.
These systemic and structural problems are pervasive throughout our society: in a law enforcement and justice system that incarcerates Black Americans at disproportionately higher rates; in an education, medical, and political system that denies equal access to legal representation, college degrees, healthcare, and voting; in a housing system that makes homeownership out of reach and neighborhoods unsafe to live in; and in an economy without meaningful employment, equal pay, and generation of wealth.
The community that we serve at Pursuit is directly affected by all of these issues. Our Fellows are 70% Black or Hispanic, and all of them come from low-income communities. As an organization, we are working every day to address racial injustice by creating opportunity and access to tech. The tech sector will continue to drive the economy. And it will continue to create new wealth and prosperity. Those with the skills to participate in the tech industry will have the power to shape society. We cannot tackle racial, social, and economic injustices if we do not share access to the wealth generated by tech. At Pursuit, it’s our responsibility to make sure that Black Americans and people of color can create the future.
It is difficult to create transformation in a world that seems resistant to change. But that is why our work is so important. To all of our Fellows — current, past, and future — we fervently believe in you and are committed to your talent and future. Your role as an engineer and technology leader is a platform to empower others and continue our fight for justice.
Today, we are reaffirming our mission and doubling down on our commitment to be a source of action and create meaningful outcomes. Combating racial, social, and economic injustice is a massive effort, and we will do our part to achieve this critical mission. We all need to work together to fight racism and reform the systems that perpetuate these inequities. It will require time and dedication, but all of you — our Fellows, partners, funders, volunteers, and community — give us hope, strength, and purpose.
In solidarity,
Pursuit