The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
I, like many, am deeply disturbed and profoundly shaken by the unjustified killing of George Floyd, which just piles onto similar acts of hatred and violence over the years to so many including, most recently, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
Let me be clear: The Dibble Institute stands with the black community in the pursuit of justice and equality. We commit ourselves to the continued quest for a future free of racism.
Through these painful and troubled times, I focus on Dibble’s values and the positive role they might play to address our collective anguish.
One of our core values is that we believe in the power of relationships. We believe that we all benefit when we build healthy relationships. Of course, with friends, family, partners, and co-workers. And especially at this time, between black citizens and the police who have sworn to protect them… to solve conflict respectfully, connect with empathy, and manage emotions. When we can all learn and practice these skills, we will help to create a more just world, where people are not judged by the color of their skin.
We also know that having good relationships starts with each of us. The same goes for ending systemic racism. If we are going to build a better, more just society, we must begin by working on ourselves. In Michelle Obama’s words, “It starts with self-examination and listening to those whose lives are different from our own.”
To that end, here are some tools that we, the Dibble staff, are using to take a look inwards and, in turn, a step forward:
We offer our thoughts and these tools in a spirit of solidarity, hope, and action as the fight for racial justice continues.
