As you know, our country and more specifically the Black community is in so much pain right now. It is disappointing and horrifying that it has taken another senseless murder of an innocent black man, George Floyd (and countless others before him), for our country to finally pay attention to the everyday injustices the Black community endures.
We at Jade Leaf refuse to be silent. The fact of the matter is, for centuries black people in our country have been subject to systemic racism, violence, and have had to endure injustices at the hands of white people each and every day. It is unfortunate and extremely disappointing that we as a society have not made much progress to bring about equality and fairness for the black community. We recognize our privilege and want to use our voice and platform to bring about true change.
We started Jade Leaf with one simple promise — to bring high quality, organic Japanese matcha to people at a fair price. This sense of fairness is a company core value that we are constantly reminding ourselves of. The truth is, the treatment of black people in our country is far from fair. The fear black people carry when leaving their homes is far from fair. The number of lives black people have lost in recent years (and spanning centuries) is beyond fair.
Here's how we are committed to supporting the #BlackLivesMatter movement and take tangible steps to bring about change.
Our team has spent ample time creating space to discuss and have necessary conversations around how we as a company (and as individuals) can do better to bring about true change. This is not business as usual, people must come first above all else. We will continue to have conversations amongst our team to hold each other accountable as we learn and use our voices to advocate against racial injustice.
We understand that using our collective voice to bring awareness is important, we believe taking action is what is needed today and everyday moving forward until equality for the black community is our country's reality. As a team, we have reflected on how we can make commitments to combat systematic racism and have committed to the following:
- Commitment 1: We have made donations to each of the following organizations - NAACP, Black Lives Matter, National Bail Out, Black Visions Collective, and the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund.
- We will also match any employee contribution to a provided list of approved organizations up to $10,000 for the remainder of 2020.
- Commitment 2: We will provide PTO for all employees to vote in local, state, and federal elections. National election days are now paid company holidays.
- We have dedicated time for culture-focused conversations (held every-other week) as a team to further educate, explore, and uphold our commitments to #blacklivesmatter.
- Commitment 3: We are committed to continued inclusion and assertion of our stance on Black Lives Matter as a company. We will not be silent. We will engage in conversations, partnerships, and direct support to aid in combating systematic racism.
To our Black community: As always, we are here for you — to acknowledge you, to take action to support you, to actively listen to you, and to amplify your voices. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any thoughts you would like to share. You can reply directly to this email or send us a DM on Instagram.
Matcha gratitude,
The Jade Leaf Matcha Team
Here are some resources for those looking for ways to support
Organization to donate to
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Black Lives Matter
- National Bailout Fund,
- Official #GeorgeFloyd Memorial Fund
- Black Visions Collective
- The Innocence Project
- Unicorn Riot
- Here is a list of additional organizations to support
Instagram accounts to learn from
- @rachel.cargle: for guided conversations that encourage critical thinking and nurtures meaningful engagement
- @themanacho: this video in particular was not only insightful, but a perfect example for white people to step out of their privilege, practice empathy, and have a safe space to have Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man
- @ibramxk: to learn critical steps on how to be anti-racist
- @ckyourprivilege: a guide for white people on how to dismantle their relationship with systems of domination
- @i_weigh: for education, learning how to amplify Black voices, and inclusivity
- @theconsciouskid: for parenting and educating through a critical racial lens
- @colorofchange: for campaigns championing solutions for black people
Movies/Shows to watch
- 13th (Netflix)
- Dear White People (Netflix)
- When They See Us (Netflix)
- American Son (Netflix)
- See You Yesterday (Netflix)
- Selma (Amazon Prime, iTunes, YouTube)
- I Am Not Your Negro (Amazon Prime, iTunes, YouTube)
- The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (iTunes, YouTube)
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (Amazon Prime, iTunes, YouTube)
- If Beale Street Could Talk (Hulu)
- The Hate You Give (Cinemax)
- King in the Wilderness (HBO)
Books to read
- How to be Anti-racist by Ibram X. Kenji
- White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
- Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Davis
- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- Heavy by Kiese Laymon
- Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
Additional ways to get involved
Here is a comprehensive list of ways you can support by signing petitions, making phone calls, donating, and more!
