Racism and Climate Equity - Open Letter to OpenNanoCarbon community

There was a time when US Universities closed so students could demonstrate for US civil rights. The same is true today if they were in session. And many companies have come out in solitary with #Blacklivesmatter movement.

Although I haven't taken the time to email a letter to my colleagues till now, it should be very clear I don't support racism and pervasive injustice enacting tyranny. I do not choose those words lightly nor as hyperbole. I stand with the #blacklivesmatter movement to seek justice for all the lives we've unfairly lost. NPR Covers Lives Lost, and my personal tweets.

As Open NanoCarbon is a collection of people, if any of you don't see how racism defeats climate equity, please leave the group.

Freedom is one of the central tenets of American Democracy. US law applies to all people in the US, and fundamental is the law's application in the same manner for all people.

Additionally, here are the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals: 10, and 16:

Sustainable Development Goal 10, Reduce inequality within and among countries
10.2    By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.2.1    Proportion of people living below 50 per cent of median income, by age, sex and persons with disabilities
10.3    Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
10.3.1    Proportion of the population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed within the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law

Sustainable Development Goal 16, Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

16.1

Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

16.3

Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

16.4    By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime.

Just as justice isn't a right for the select few, nor is clean air or habitual oceans and biosphere. We can't expect the world to listen to us, if we're unable to achieve the SDGs. We can't complete our work on climate without rooting out racism.

Individually, I support organizations within the black and progressive community: Blacklivesmatter, NAACP, The Thurgood Marshal Institute via the NACCP Legal Defense and Education fund and Change.org petitions for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, The Plug, Mayor's Pledge, and pipeline projects such as My Brothers Keeper Alliance, Black Girls Code and Hack the hood. (Full transparency: at this time I am unable to give financially as I'm working on unpaid climate research and research for an unfunded startup.)

Thank you, if you're a member of communities that have already spoken are working for change: Sierra Club, Carbon180, Air Miners, Xprize, OpenIDEO, Commonwealth Club, SV and SF Bicycle coalition and so many others.

If you're in software or are connected to a VC social network, please read my post on identifying bias: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/analyzing-bias-product-targeted-recommendation-shannon-fiume and share it, as I personally believe that by rooting out white bias we'll be able to end racism.