Indian American corporate leaders stand in solidarity with black community.
Amid an America in turmoil over the death of a black man in police custody, two top Indian American corporate leaders have raised their voices against “systemic racism” and in solidarity with the black community.
Two separate autopsies have ruled the death of George Floyd, 46, after a white police officer in Minneapolis pinned him down with his knee on his neck for several minutes on May 25, as homicide.
As protests and violence spread across America like wildfire over the last few days, PepsiCo’s former CEO and chairperson Indra Nooyi and Alphabet Goodle CEO Sundar Pichai, both came out in support of Black Lives Matter movement
“We all have a responsibility to recognize this pain and the systemic racism that has caused it,” wrote PepsiCo’s former Indian Amrican CEO and chairperson Indra Nooyi on twitter with hashtag Black Lives Matter.
“This past week, we’ve seen millions of Americans vocalize their pain in protests across the nation responding to the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmadu Arbery,” she wrote.
RELATED: A message to the Southeast Asian community regarding the Black Lives Matter movement (June 2, 2020)
Nooyi exhorted people “also to act by listening, reading, and supporting organizations that make justice their mission. This is especially important if you come from a place of privilege that protects you in some capacity.”
“As we all consider how to heal this wound, I ask that we not lose sight of the power of our voices,” she stated. “I’ve always believed that confronting bias publicly is essential. If you see a bad actor, say it out loud and set an example for those around you”
“And don’t be afraid of what you don’t know,” Nooyi wrote. “Instead, be eager to participate in conversations that may make you uncomfortable and commit to learn more. It may not be easy, but it is critical,” she asserted.
Nooyi cautioned that the road ahead will “undoubtedly be challenging”, and the scale of the work that needs to be accomplished is staggering.
“Let’s vow to be kind, to roll up our sleeves, and to be part of the force that bends this path toward justice,” she wrote.
“We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it,” wrote Pichai on Twitter sharing a homepage of US Google which appeared with a black ribbon on Sunday.
“Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who don’t have a voice. For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone.”
Earlier on Friday Pichai in an internal memo wrote that Google.org, the company’s philanthropy arm, had set up an internal giving campaign to organizations fighting for racial justice, according to Business Insider.