dotdigital: united against racism

We’re not the first to take a stand against the injustices faced by the Black communities, we will not be the last, but we will be heard. From today onward, we’re committing to the fight to eradicate racism and inequality. We will not be silent but we’ll let our actions speak for us instead. After all, it’s our actions that determine who we are, not what we say. The injustice and senseless violence that we’ve witnessed over the past few weeks are difficult to process. It can be hard to believe that in a world where so much is possible, so many people remain victimized based solely on the color of their skin. What makes it even harder to accept is the fact that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this happen. Time and again tragedy and persecution have struck our friends, family, and colleagues in the Black community. Every time we pray that this will be the event that changes things. Sadly, once again we’re faced with the bitter truth that nothing has changed. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves about the institutionalized racism affecting Black communities around the world. We need to create a united community where the voices of the most vulnerable can finally be heard. Listening and talking about these matters openly and honestly is the only way we’ll start seeing the change we want. At dotdigital, we’re looking at ways we can help our ‘dot’ community to facilitate this conversation. We don’t have the answers, and we’re just small fish compared to the wide-scale change that needs to happen, but hopefully, together we can do our part. We want to hear your ideas about how we can create a better, stronger, and safer environment for our Black colleagues. Hopefully, this will, in turn, help us start to change things outside of our community. Any ideas or movements you’d like us to get involved with, get in touch with us and let us know: dotcommunity@dotdigital.com.

“If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you recognize that your liberation and mine are bound up together, we can walk together.” Lila Watson

We are taking our first step today. To commemorate Juneteenth – also known as Freedom Day marking the effective end of slavery in the United States – all dotdigital offices will be closed on Friday 19 June. While global support services will continue to operate and help our customers, this will be an opportunity for our staff to educate themselves and reflect on recent events. As we make a more conscious effort to support our colleagues, we’re also going to help those charities already making a difference in the world, supporting Black communities:

• National Police Accountability Project
• The Bail Project
• Black Lives Matter UK
• Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust

All that we can do, we will do. We hope that our actions will demonstrate that dotdigital is a genuine ally. We will not be silent. We stand beside all our family, friends, and colleagues in the Black community. Black lives matter.