Greensfelder, Our Values and Our People
The following comes from a statement Greensfelder President & Chief Executive Officer Kevin T. McLaughlin sent to all firm employees on the morning of June 1, 2020. As a firm that prioritizes equity as a value of prime importance, it is important for us to share our thoughts publicly and express our support for the fight against racism in all forms.
I wanted to take a moment to talk about the terrible events facing our nation right now. Of course, Greensfelder denounces racism in all of its forms — it is contrary to who we are as a family and evil to its core. There is no place for racism in our halls. That’s the easy part. We can all get on board for that principle without hesitation.
The hard part is watching the events of the last few months unfold and knowing how to respond. The crisis at the ICE detention centers in which Hispanic and Latino people are being inhumanely incarcerated and deported is still ongoing, and we have seen a new wave of anti-Asian racism related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, we have watched and read about yet another rash of extra-judicial police killings of Black men and women over the past two months.
We were horrified reading about Ahmaud Arbery’s killing while jogging through his neighborhood. We were horrified reading about Breonna Taylor’s death at the hands of police officers while sleeping. And, lastly, we were horrified watching George Floyd get killed on a public street in broad daylight while onlookers shouted for relief and he begged for his life. Ultimately, the question is how do we turn those horrors into something meaningful in our own world(s)? I think we start by acknowledging as a group that it is happening and move forward from there.
I’m not going to tell you how to feel in an email. I hope you share my horror and sadness for people of color in the United States. I hope you want better than where we are for our country. I ask you to stand with all of our Greensfelder family in supporting our colleagues of color. Anti-racism is everybody’s job. It is not just the responsibility of people of color. I ask that you stand with us. Take a moment this week and going forward to check in and let your colleagues know you are ready to help. For our coworkers of color, please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you are in pain — I would be glad to have a conversation and try to provide a small bit of peace.
Please stand together as one Firm united. Thank you.
Kevin T. McLaughlin