A Commitment to Antiracism

This book is ultimately about the basic struggle we’re all in, the struggle to be fully human and to see that others are fully human.

— How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

Last week, I was forced to reckon with the cruel and senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery. I could not do as I had done many times before by simply tweeting a hashtag, walking in a march, making a token donation, then moving on comfortably with a privileged life that keeps them in my peripheral vision.

The pain, anger, and suffering of Black voices and allies broke my pattern. In those voices I heard about personal lived experiences of injustice. Not only from law enforcement but from every other institution of society. In those voices I heard the weight of centuries of exclusion, brutality, and dehumanization. The voices brought the real Black experience of America into the center of my vision and held it there. This time I am not looking away.

I am committing myself and Goalbook to antiracism.

I firmly believe that racism is the original sin of our country. It predates our formation as a nation and is woven into the fabric of every institution. It is within me too. I have participated in, benefited from, and even strengthened unjust systems that exclude, exploit, and even kill Black people. As an individual, I must continue to grow and challenge myself so that my presence in society is a positive force for the Black experience being more “fully human” than what it is today.

I often say, “Goalbook serves the US K-12 school system.” This is insufficient. Despite the daily efforts of dedicated, resilient, and underappreciated teachers, administrators, and staff, our school system is still unjust for Black students as a group in nearly every measure: per-pupil funding, graduation rates, discipline and suspension, college attendance, achievement gaps, extracurricular activities and resources, student safety, facilities, … Goalbook cannot just passively serve the system. We must be an active ally to those who are transforming its classrooms, schools, and districts to be more just and equitable.

I am committing Goalbook to take action. While antiracism will be a forever cause, these are the immediate steps we will take:

• We will begin our journey of better understanding antiracism through our Monday team meetings, guided by readings, beginning with How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. We acknowledge that we cannot play a meaningful part in creating a more just school system if we are unwilling to introspect, push, and grow to be antiracist individuals and an antiracist organization.
• We will create a psychologically safe venue for Goalbook employees to share honestly about their experience of inclusion and belonging at Goalbook, especially their racial identity, so that we can better inform our own internal healing.
• We will shift the focus of our 2020 company-wide diversity, inclusion, and belonging sessions to the study of how various institutions, including the school system, through systematic policies, laws, and practices, entrap Black youth.
• We will set a company-wide OKR for each department to identify specific improvements that support antiracism in schools or within Goalbook.
• We will dedicate 25% or more of our product research and development time in 2020 to enhancements that elevate Black students such as over-identification in special education, representation in texts, social emotional learning, restorative practices, and culturally responsive teaching.
• We will institutionalize changes to our feature prioritization process so that antiracism will be an ongoing priority beyond 2020.
• We will donate to organizations that further Black social justice causes. Every employee will be able to direct $250 to an organization of their choice.

It is especially in this moment that I am thankful to be on a team of creative, resilient, and compassionate people. It will take all of us to push, challenge, and lead this work together.

Finally, I personally want to express deep gratitude to those who made their voices heard whether on the internet, on the streets, or directly with me. I will keep listening. Black. Lives. Matter. They are us.

Truly,

daniel

Founder and CEO, Goalbook