Our firm and I have taken time to reflect on recent events involving racism and violence and how they impact our community. We wanted to listen before we spoke. Our colleagues live and work throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We span political parties, religion, ethnicities, race, gender and sexual orientation, and ideology, but we work together as one team. And as a team, we have been deeply affected by events unfolding and in this moment in time in which we find ourselves. Our silence until now has been reflection and listening.
We want to be clear that we stand in solidarity with this movement and all those who march in protest. Institutional bias and brutal treatment against Black people, and indeed all people of color in our country, must stop now. We cannot tolerate any members of our community being mistreated. For our country to become a leader among nations, we must work diligently to eliminate a system of inequity, as well as the implicit and explicit racism so many of us have tolerated for too long. In our business, we realize that the words you say or write, where and how people show up matters. History is being shaped around us and we must move with it.
We must continue to find the light together that will guide us through to a better future.
We know we have more listening to do. We want to gain a better understanding of the experiences of our neighbors. We want to hold ourselves and others accountable. We understand we still have work to do within our firm and continue to commit ourselves to creating an environment that is diverse and inclusive across all levels. We pledge to keep educating ourselves and our children — and push ourselves and others to create meaningful and long overdue change.
