Along with the rest of the world, members of the Junior League of London are watching the events of the past nine days in the US unfold with sadness and horror. The devastating effects of structural and systemic racism, along with health inequities have been laid bare. We cannot and should not look away, and from the global response, it is clear these issues are not uniquely American. Today, people of colour in Britain still suffer from racism and discrimination. 

We are an organisation that strives to be civic leaders and we believe in building better communities. We condemn racism and we must speak out and we must be visible. As part of our 2020-21 strategy, we ask our members to join our Diversity & Inclusion Task Force to improve our own awareness and understanding, to educate our membership on how to help, and to develop the opportunities for members to get involved so that our organisation can further our progress on diversity and racial equity. We have much work to do, and we are committed to ensuring that our members become informed leaders of our own community who are able to take action. Then and only then can real impact happen.

Our commitment is more important than ever and the Junior League of London is committed to equity, inclusion and giving support to the black community – and as an organisation to be an authentic ally in this fight for justice.