The United States is experiencing a week of protests following the murder of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis. Apple CEO Tim Cook wanted to share an internal memorandum discussing the situation and how it affects his employees, urging the rest to commit to “creating a better, fairer world for all.”
As a result of these protests, several Apple stores have been robbed and looted, so Apple has decided to close several stores in the country to avoid dangerous situations for its employees. Stores that had just been reopened after the health crisis we are experiencing.
Tim Cook’s letter
Tim Cook announced that Apple is making donations to various groups that fight racial injustice and protect human rights, and is also doubling down on donations from all of its employees.
” Team,
Right now, there is pain deeply etched in the soul of our nation and in the hearts of millions. To unite, we must stand up for each other and acknowledge the fear, pain, and outrage properly provoked by George Floyd’s mindless murder and a much longer history of racism.
That painful past is still present today, not only in the form of violence but in the daily experience of deep-seated discrimination. We see it in our criminal justice system, in the disproportionate number of illnesses in black and brown communities, in the inequalities in neighborhood services and education that our children receive. Although our laws have changed, the reality is that their protections do not yet apply universally.
We have seen progress from America I grew up in, but it is equally true that communities of color continue to suffer discrimination and trauma.
I have heard from many of you that you feel fear: fear in your communities, fear in your daily life and, most cruel of all, fear in your own skin. We cannot have a society worth celebrating unless we can guarantee freedom of fear for every person who gives this country their love, work and life.
At Apple, our mission has been and always will be to create technology that enables people to change the world for the better. We always take advantage of our diversity, we welcome people from all walks of life in our stores around the world, and we strive to build an Apple that is inclusive of everyone.
* But together, we must do more. Today, Apple is making donations to various groups, including the Fair Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to challenging racial injustice, ending mass incarceration, and protecting the human rights of the most vulnerable people in American society. For the month of June, and in honor of the June 15 holiday, we will also match two-for-one donations to all employees through Benevity_.
To create change, we need to reexamine our own views and actions in light of pain that is felt deeply but often ignored. Questions of human dignity will not be left out. To our colleagues in the black community: we see you. You matter, your lives matter and you are valued here at Apple.
For all of our wounded colleagues at this time, know that you are not alone and that we have resources to support you. It is more important than ever to talk to each other and find a cure in our common humanity. We also have free resources that can help, including our Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources that you can learn about on the People site.
This is a time when many people may desire nothing more than a return to normality, or a status quo that is only comfortable if we avoid our gaze of injustice. As difficult as it is to admit, that desire is itself a sign of privilege. George Floyd’s death is shocking and tragic proof that we must aim beyond a “normal” future and build one that lives up to the highest ideals of equality and justice.
In the words of Martin Luther King, “Every society has its protectors of the status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are known to sleep through revolutions. Today, our survival depends on our ability to stay awake, adapt to new ideas, stay vigilant and face the challenge of change “
With each breath we take, we must commit to being that change and creating a better and fairer world for all.
Tim “
Let’s hope that this situation ends without more altercations and lost lives and that racism leaves our lives, it is necessary that many things change and ensure full justice and protection of human rights regardless of the color of your skin.