“Our country is sick. Longstanding and systemic racism divides our cities, communities, and neighborhoods, advantaging white Americans at the expense of everyone else. The murders of George Floyd and too many other brown and black men and women are the extreme, visible examples, but we know these Americans are subject to countless racist and discriminatory actions every day. Adding to the pain is the inequitable and disproportionate share of minority populations dying of COVID-19.
Healing will require collective and coordinated action by all of us with the onus on the powerful and privileged to stand up and demand change. Black communities have clearly spoken asking for sustainable solutions that affirm the prosperity of black lives. It’s our turn to all start listening and responding.
MassBio recognizes our privilege and position of influence across Massachusetts and beyond and will use our voice to aggressively stand-up for change, speak out against racism and discrimination, and demand accountability. We will continue to support our black and brown friends, co-workers, and communities while seeking to empower their voices through our platforms. We will push our members to do better and will hold them accountable for sustainable change, especially promoting underrepresented employees to positions of leadership.
The life sciences industry is here to heal people that are sick no matter who they are or where they come from. It’s on us to solve some of the toughest problems facing humankind, and this is no different. Racism is a disease and our industry should seek to cure it like any other disease. We encourage each and every one of you to consider how we can make an impact, and we welcome your ideas on what MassBio can do. We’re in this together, and together we can create a better world for future generations.”