Over the past few months, we have witnessed the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, as well as deeply troubling, racially-motivated acts, including the confrontation in Central Park involving Christian Cooper. And last week, with the killing of George Floyd by one or more Minneapolis police officers, the country started to cry – and then started to shout louder and louder – that this must stop.
George Floyd’s death ripped open deep wounds that have been festering for centuries in the United States. In the face of increasing division and hatred being sown in this country, Americans have come together to stand up and say that Black Lives Matter. That we need leadership that helps us heal, not divide us. That we must find change. That we need to address racism at every level in our country.
Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell wants every person who is a part of this Firm – as well as our clients and friends – to know and understand that the Firm stands for justice, equality, and fairness for each person in our society. While many of the Firm’s projects do not address issues of racism directly, the conscience and the heart and the soul of this Firm support those peacefully demanding social justice.
This is a time of great anguish but also a time for action. The Firm will make a donation to Campaign Zero to aid in its goal of police reform and to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund to aid in its goal of bringing about racial justice and an end to institutional racism. We also cannot forget the individuals who need help and need us as allies, and we cannot forget the institutions that need fundamental change at every level – so we are asking each person in the Firm for suggestions on other organizations in our respective communities which we can support as well.
In addition, we encourage each member of the Firm to find some action, large or small, that you can take to bring about the change that is so desperately needed. Be safe. Be well. Be active. Do something constructive. Let’s join together to respect each member of our Firm and of our society.
