The National Center on Education and the Economy supports people and communities of color. The tragic killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer and the resulting protests across the country are cause for our nation to undertake sustained and meaningful self-reflection.

We, as an organization and as individuals, have a responsibility to undertake meaningful efforts to better understand institutional racism, systemic inequity and the lived experience of those who are marginalized and oppressed by both. While it is important to speak about equity and advocate for education policies that drive toward that goal, it is not enough. It is not enough to say that we value inclusion and diversity. It is not enough to see our responsibility to our communities, country and world begin and end at the output of our work.

We must reflect upon our own prejudices and privilege, both organizational and personal, name them, and take action to address them. We pledge to do so. We pledge to hold ourselves accountable in this work, identifying areas and ways in which we can and will do better. We look forward to continuing our work to create a more equitable and just education system and society.