Why do we exist?
![Meme of white text on black background that says: We at [Brand] are committed to fighting injustice by posting images to Twitter that express our commitment to fighting injustice. To that end, we offer this solemn white-on-black .jpeg that expresses vague solidarity with the Black community, but will quietly elide the specifics of what is wrong, what needs to change, or in what ways we will do anything about it. This is doubly true if [Brand] is particularly guilty of exacerbating these issues. We hope this action encourages you to view [Brand] positively without, you know, expecting anything from us. From, [Brand]® You know the ones.™](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZXvqb6X0AEDkOI?format=jpg&name=medium)
Corporate America has largely ignored the issues of police brutality and systemic racism. After the murder of George Floyd, thousands of black & white statements flooded social media, claiming that they are listening and will no longer be complicit. Some of these were specific, measurable, and actionable, and some of them were little more than a black box with a hashtag. We've gathered their initial responses and subsequent follow-ups so you can start sorting through which organizations are genuinely invested and interested in making a difference and which are not.
Timeline
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The Murder of Ahmaud Arbery
February 23, 2020
Ahmaud Arbery, a unarmed 25-year-old Black man, was fatally shot while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia by Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael.
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The Murder of Breonna Taylor
March 13, 2020
Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was shot in her home in Louisville, Kentucky by Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove.
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The Murder of George Floyd
May 25, 2020
George Floyd was murdered at the hands of Derek Chavin, a Minneapolis police officer, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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People Take to the Streets
May 26, 2020
The people of Minneapolis began to protest, and police officers responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.
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Corporations Speak Out
May 31, 2020
The big-named companies started to tweet their support.
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The Murder of Jacob Blake
August 23, 2020
Jacob S. Blake, a 29-year-old was murdered at the hands of a police officer Rusten Sheskey in Kenosha, Wisconsin in front of Blake's three sons.
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NBA, WNBA Players Strike
August 25, 2020
Players refused to play in the Playoff to protest the murder of Jacob Blake.
What is corporate blackface?
The idea that corporations publicly declare support of the Black Lives Matter movement, often with vague language, without actually committing to or implementing real, systemic change within their company to support Black employees, clients, customers, and community.
See examples of corporate blackface in Self Defined.
