From Spot.IM’s beginning, our mission has been to create spaces for passionate, civil conversation on the open web. We see the internet for what it can be at its best: a powerful lever for creating community and for encouraging a diversity of ideas and opinions, including the voices of those who are often underrepresented in public conversations. The world has never needed safe areas for public expression more — whether on the web or off it.
There are days when injustices offline stand so much larger than whatever is happening online. May 25th, the day George Floyd was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police, was one of those days. As has been every day since. What is there to do except demand real-life change when we live in a world where an innocent man can be murdered in daylight by the people who are supposed to protect him? I know that I can’t actually know how George Floyd’s life was — but I’ve seen his death, and I’ll never forget it.
There’s no single answer to how to fix this, but we know that one way we can help is to support, empower, and protect the voices of the Black community. What led to the death of George Floyd — and of Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and far too many others — has been referred to rightly as “systemic racism.” This system is unacceptable. It is a system that needs changing. Those changes must take place in our boardrooms, our classrooms, our courts, our offices, our homes — and our virtual and digital spaces. How we conduct ourselves online enters our world offline, and it’s more important than ever for our company and others like it to take action and help. The internet isn’t isolated from injustice — and we all have a role to play to make that world a more just place.
As an individual, I recognize I haven’t done enough to change the system. I will do more, as will Spot.IM. The time is now, and I believe we can make change together.
Black Lives Matter,
Nadav
