Staying Silent Is Not an Option’

We commend the racial and social justice protesters demonstrating across Connecticut, not only for their critical, essential message but also for the peaceful and respectful way they are delivering that message.

Law enforcement in Connecticut must also be commended for communicating and collaborating with protest organizers to ensure everyone’s safety, in some cases linking arms or kneeling in solidarity with those seeking a more just society.

These are heartening scenes in an otherwise disheartening time.

If any good is to come from the violence and destruction engulfing communities around the country, we must first move beyond rhetoric and commit to positive action—staying silent is not an option.

Many Connecticut employers are national leaders in creating diverse workforces, leadership teams, and boards of directors, but the reality is that despite those best intentions, we can all do better.

We at CBIA can and must do better. It begins with listening, understanding, and engaging the voices of color in the business community. But it cannot end there.

ReadyCT, the nonprofit education policy and program organization affiliated with CBIA, has also released a statement noting that the fight for equity requires broad, collective efforts.

We all must use the lessons learned from the heartbreak in Minneapolis and around the country to work together and build a more just and equitable society.

One of the great strengths of CBIA’s membership is its diversity, and that diversity will help grow an economy that works not just for some, but for all.

Let that be part of everyone’s mission as we recover from the pandemic and rebuild Connecticut’s economy.