This week our update on COVID-19 is taking a back seat. Not because we believe COVID-19 is miraculously gone or that it’s not as important as before. It’s that we know something else is infinitely MORE important — social justice and taking a stand against racism.

Before we made a public statement, we felt it was vital to look inside Extend Your Reach. Take time to talk to our employees and hear how they were feeling. What we found was a little unsettling, and our leadership team is working to respond to each issue raised. We can do better. As a company, a society, and a nation we NEED to do better. And that means we need to try harder.

Now for our public statement:       Racism is wrong. PERIOD.
No one should have to face injustice or inequality based on the color of their skin. It is crucial that every one of us makes a commitment to speak up any time we encounter racism or injustice in our daily lives. It’s also vital that we educate ourselves on topics such as anti-racism, diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

Internally, Extend Your Reach commits to creating an inclusive, equitable workplace and to fostering an environment where staff feel empowered to speak up. One change we implemented today is the addition of Juneteenth to our list of paid company holidays. This means EYR will not be open this Friday, June 19. We’re encouraging our staff to educate themselves, reflect inwardly, and maybe even take part in a local Juneteenth event.

Externally, we’re committed to supporting organizations working to make impactful change. Since each organization will have different needs, we welcome the opportunity to sit down with you, talk about your efforts, and look for a way EYR can help with an in-kind donation.

Let’s all commit to working together to ensure equity, to end racism, and to promote social justice.

Stay safe!

Jay Gillotte
CEO
Extend Your Reach