This is an extraordinary moment in our history. All at once, we are grappling with a devastating pandemic, economic shock, and social upheaval and targeted hate especially in our Asian communities. This is a moment that has challenged all of us to think and act differently.

In the center of all of this, the tragic killing of George Floyd has sparked the expression of decades of collective anger and frustration over the unacceptable abuse of power and authority. This pain is felt across our communities and our workplace, which we often see as our second home.

There is no doubt in our mind that the weight of these disastrous events disproportionately impacts the black community and other communities of color. There are no easy answers. At the National Diversity Council, we understand this is our moment to lead from the front and fully commit to creating the fair and inclusive society that every single person in our nation deserves.

The National Diversity Council and our 350+ corporate partners share a commitment to diversity and inclusive leadership. We begin this initiative with the launch of the Coalition for Racial Justice & Equity. Building on our commitment, we set the pace to stop asking “why” and start showing “how.” We call on every organization’s CEO to join us in this moment. We each must decide what we can do and will do to drive meaningful, deliberate change. There is no place for ambiguity or sitting on the sideline. Our long-term goal through this Coalition will be to inspire and commit ourselves to be the model nation for inclusion in the world.

We are made up of extraordinary people of every race, all worthy of the same dignity and respect. We view our differences as one of our greatest strengths. We will set forward to convene a number of social justice, legal, and corporate entities to formulate a long-term visible plan for addressing systemic inequality — inequality in education, health, economic opportunity and public safety among others. Angeles and I call on all of you to join us. As it is clear to us, we cannot wait. We should not wait. Collectively, we must all be the answer to this change.