At Shareable, we believe in sharing. Not just as a behavior, but also as a philosophy, worldview, and way of life. In our vision, there is absolutely no room whatsoever for racism. For us, racism is the opposite of sharing. Racism is anti-sharing. We believe in one human family united in diversity, committed to the common good, thriving together for the different gifts each of us brings to society.
That’s why when we witness yet another member of our human family — in this case George Floyd — being needlessly and violently denied the right to live by those who are paid to protect the public, and recognize that this is the result of deeply ingrained, systemic racism in American society, we are deeply saddened and angered. Our hearts go out to the friends and family of George Floyd for such a painful and personal loss.
This is also a loss to all of us as the worldwide protests suggest. It’s not only a loss of a human family member, but an indelible symbol of an injustice borne by Black Americans so heavy for so long that the whole world demands that it be righted. The world says, and we say, enough! The ideals America espouses worldwide and the practice of them reveal a deep, long-standing contradiction that people everywhere want reconciled. This is not only a loss of one of our brothers, but an ugly setback in humanity’s long fight for justice.
George Floyd’s murder also reminds us that racism is at the center of human challenges. It isn’t an adjunct issue to our existential challenges today like inequality, climate change, social isolation, and political polarization. We at Shareable have learned through 10 years of news reporting that racism is at the root cause of these issues. There’s not only a moral imperative to fight racism, but a practical one. Racism is not only viciously cruel, but stupid and costly to everyone.
We acknowledge that our mission of a “more resilient, equitable, and joyful world” is not possible until Black people and all people of color are liberated. We want our Black readers to know that we stand firmly in support of their lives, liberty and freedoms and that #BlackLivesMatter.
As such, racism must be urgently addressed. It is an existential issue. Dr. Cornel West spoke passionately on Democracy Now! about what is needed, “a nonviolent revolutionary project of full-scale democratic sharing — power, wealth, resources, respect, organizing — and a fundamental transformation of this American Empire.”
Shareable, and specifically the white people on our staff and board, acknowledge that we are responsible for unlearning and dismantling white supremacism and privilege as a continuous practice in our professional and personal lives. Shareable commits to deepening our efforts to listen first to the experiences of all people of color and use our position as publishers to elevate the history, work, and leadership of people with diverse backgrounds.
In solidarity,
Shareable staff and board of directors
