As together we grapple with the horrible act of violence that caused the death of George Floyd and so many other Black Americans both in recent days and throughout our country’s history, I feel deep sorrow and anger that these racist actions persist. It is time for all of us to stand united and say as loud as possible this cannot be tolerated any longer. We must say this not just today or tomorrow, but every day, in all of our communities, because sadly, our nation has a short memory.

We have all seen how racial injustice has been part of our law enforcement for decades, and unfortunately, the death of George Floyd seems like a recurring nightmare. I remember the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles in the 90’s and how that eventually faded from media coverage without lasting changes to the system. Similarly, with Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner – news cycles covered these events, but the system persisted. Now more than ever, we know that we must join with the Black Lives Matter movement in the fight for justice. As a nonprofit dedicated to equity of opportunity, we need to have a voice at these times, as well as being part of the solution.

This tragedy falls within a broader systemic racism that the very communities Per Scholas supports have struggled against for decades, as exemplified by the disproportionate Covid-19 deaths of people of color, and the deep economic impact it is having on our communities. It affects our families, our children, our students, our alumni, our employer partners, and our institutions.

I know that my black brothers and sisters are exhausted and in pain. I am tired with you, I hurt with you. But know that I will always stand next to you, as does Per Scholas. As an organization dedicated to improving the lives of our students and alumni through IT training, we will provide support whenever and wherever possible.

As a result, Per Scholas is dedicated to creating space for our students, alumni, and staff to reflect on issues of racial justice and equity to process what is happening thoughtfully and with an open arena for conversation. We are here for you.

At the same time, I and the entire leadership team here at Per Scholas are thinking about ways we can play a more active role in standing up for what is right. While acknowledging our pain, expressing our empathy, listening, and sharing will begin a process of healing, we recognize that action is required. My hope is that we will work together towards striving to achieve our mission of opening doors to transformative technology careers, while also supporting greater equity and justice in the communities where we live and work.

With my full support,

As the nation confronts the systemic racism that can no longer be ignored following the police killing of George Floyd, there is a unified urgency that something must be done to address racial injustices across our country. We at Per Scholas are continuing to champion the fight to impact real change towards equality of access to economic opportunity that has often been touted in this country but has never fully been actualized in black and brown communities.

We are observing this moment in time as an opportunity to assess our impact, examine how we are addressing the reality of racial inequality and economic equity to bring positive, lifelong change in communities across the country. This month, we have engaged in some challenging yet worthy conversations to help us to better support our students, staff, and alumni and to ensure that this work is ongoing:

• Reflections on George Floyd: Letter from Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala addressed to students and alumni regarding his thoughts on the wrongful death of George Floyd, encouraging them “to consider Per Scholas as a safe place to start dialogues about what is happening” (read more);
• Inclusion by Intention (IxI): a quarterly organization-wide initiative that aims to provide a safe, inclusive space for staff to discuss ongoing issues around race and social justice. A powerful, open panel discussion led by both national and local team leaders to envision ways the organization can best equip staff with the appropriate education, resources, and training needed to support students, alumni, and one another. Literary resources included White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo and Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis;
• In Recognition of Juneteenth (Letter From Per Scholas President and CEO): Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala and the Per Scholas Leadership Team announced their solidarity to recognize Juneteenth as an annual Per Scholas holiday. Members of the Per Scholas community were encouraged “to celebrate the contributions of Black Americans, while also reflecting and learning about the continued steps needed to support racial equality in this county” (read more).

We approach this ongoing discussion and reflection by all of us here at Per Scholas with hope and a determination to continue to fight the good fight. Thank you for your support and commitment.