At Equal Access International, we feel that the time has come to participate in profound social change to end systemic racism in the United States once and for all. The senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others have brought to light the political, cultural, and social structures that still exist in this country, perpetuating systemic racism and threatening the lives of black Americans.

For 20 years, EAI has implemented programs that challenge social norms affecting marginalized communities around the world. We must now turn our attention inward, understanding the root causes of racial violence and injustice in our country. We must also all be committed to work towards dismantling racism in our society, starting in our own institutions.

We are committed as a social and behavior change organization to stand up to racial injustice. Today, we took a first step by holding an open conversation among our staff to discuss how we can do better to address these issues. While we are still exploring what concrete action looks like, we have called for the creation of a Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Task Force, and will continue fostering opportunities to engage in honest conversations and dialogue internally.

While EAI’s mission remains committed to amplifying marginalized voices abroad, now is the time for every individual and every institution to look inwards and examine its own behavior and its own role in the society it wants to build.