Don’t only heal the moment. Heal the matter.

The events that have unfolded over the past few weeks have sparked a flurry of emotions across the country. Here’s how we pledge to lean in and take the steps toward healing and driving positive change.

On June 1,  Verizon Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Hans Vestberg spoke out about the current state of race relations and injustice in the U.S. He opened the meeting with candid expressions of sorrow and disbelief, as well as a much-needed call for change and action.

In response, the Verizon Foundation has committed $10 million to aid organizations dedicated to equality and social justice, including:

• The National Urban League, a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice.
• The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People  (NAACP), whose mission is to secure political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
• National Action Network, a leading civil rights organization in the nation.
• Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 200 diverse national organizations whose mission is to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all people.
• Rainbow Push Coalition, a progressive, international membership organization fighting for social change.
• National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, an organization dedicated to increasing civic engagement and voter participation in Black and underserved communities.
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a leading legal organization fighting for racial justice.

Wendy Taccetta, SVP of Global Commercial Operations for the Verizon Business Group, speaks with BOLD ERG members.

In addition, our BOLD (Black Originators, Leaders and Doers), employee response group (ERG) hosted a safe and thought-provoking discussion via video chat. 

During this discussion, leaders across the business and ERG members shared everything from their personal fears to their own life experiences with racial injustice. We heard from senior business leaders Rose Kirk, Wendy Taccetta, Eric Cevis, Genia Wilbourn and other members of BOLD in a raw and honest dialogue.

Supportive allies were also present, including Verizon’s Chief HR Officer Christy Pambianchi, Chief Diversity Officer Magda Yrizarry and Chief Marketing Officer Diego Scotti, sharing their own insights and actions for change.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to driving positive change, but what’s important is that everyone shows up in their own way and is part of the solution.

If you’re struggling with tackling these topics, we encourage you to check out these resources for how to start a conversation on race, as well as how to be an accomplice for change, in which Willie Jackson, a diversity and inclusion expert, hosted a session on how to have difficult conversations during this time.