Following Breonna Taylor’s Kentucky Grand Jury case decision, GRID Alternatives shared the following message internally with its staff. We want to share this message with our supporters, too. #sayhername.
"There aren’t enough words to express the outrage and sadness at the injustice that occurred yesterday in Breonna Taylor’s Kentucky Grand Jury case. The only real justice would be for Breonna Taylor to still be alive - shining bright for those in her community. At the very least, we hoped that the officers who murdered her would be held accountable. We are not surprised at this outcome, but we know many were hopeful that this might be a time of change and this ruling was yet another devastating blow.
Breonna Taylor matters. And it’s one individual case within a larger system that is rife with racism and injustice. All of us are living and operating within a system that doesn’t value Black lives and doesn’t value Black women.
At GRID, Black women matter. Period. Full Stop. Whether on staff, a client, a volunteer, or just existing in the world, you matter.
We recognize that there is a spectrum of emotions that folx are processing today (and last night and tomorrow). Whatever you are feeling and however you’re expressing those feelings is valid. If you need to call in Black on a day like this, particularly if you identify as a Black woman, we support that.
If you choose to participate in protests, we are in solidarity with you on that. See here for some important information on safety and GRID’s support of protestors.
For those who are in particular need of mental health support services today, our HR team has shared a wealth of resources on our intranet. Folx also have access to confidential counseling services through their GRID medical benefits and GRID’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Words are important and we know words alone aren’t enough. We are committed to learning and growing in our ability to support Black folx, particularly Black women. We continue to work on how GRID can be a strong accomplice to Black-led movements, our Black staff, and Black people everywhere. We are making progress on many of the ideas staff have shared on how to dismantle white supremacy at GRID. We are listening to our various Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity groups. We have launched/are launching affinity groups. And we continue to be open to the suggestions and direction of our staff on how we can best show up in this moment and ongoing.
We also want to highlight that if you aren’t Black, today may not be the day to reach out to Black folx you know. See the caption on this post for a smart person’s advice on how to check your intentions and how to show up today.
Today, people across the country are reacting to the dramatic injustice that happened here because activists have worked tirelessly to make sure Breonna’s name wouldn’t be forgotten. This is work that feels incredibly urgent, and we know that makes it likely you’ll end up responding in a jaggedy/complicated way. With the goal of holding our unjust system accountable, we hope you’ll be open to that possibility and be comfortable bringing your full self to GRID this and every week.
We know a lot of folx are feeling raw today and aren’t up for processing with colleagues. And we know it’s a burden for folx who have to lead these spaces. So we plan to put together some times on Monday when we can be together."
#sayhername