It is with deep, profound sadness that we reflect on and honor the life of George Floyd, cut short by his murder at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. We once again need to voice that Black Lives Matter in a country that in so many dimensions threaten that value. Horribly, these are not unprecedented times. One in every 1,000 black men can expect to die at the hands of police while racism is gaining recognition as a public health crisis. Less than four years ago, we were reflecting on the life, death, and legacy of Philando Castile and it is painful that we have not yet made the progress needed to interrupt this cycle.

Our mission at The Improve Group sits at the intersection of analysis and action – searching for understanding in order to determine the right strategy forward.

Today, we are taking these specific actions:

  • Working with our clients and stakeholders to deepen the understanding of history, white supremacy, and systems of oppression within the context of the work we do; and
  • Looking to deepen trust and partnership with community members so their insights, creativity, and analysis is centered in our evaluation and planning work.

Understanding takes time. Change takes committed, sustained action. To truly honor the life of George Floyd, we know that we must do more. As a team, our organization will continue to collaborate with community members and examine our practice.

Whether you are a member of our staff, a client, partner, or community member, I wholeheartedly invite you to contribute to a conversation about these events and the actions The Improve Group can sustain moving forward. We will share reflections we have heard from you in our next newsletter, which we are moving out in order to channel our current communication to this pressing topic.

Leah Goldstein Moses, Founder & CEO