To demonstrate its support of widespread, nationwide calls for racial justice following the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, BD today announced its donation of $100,000 to The Equal Justice Initiative.
 

The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is committed to challenging racial and economic injustice, ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
 

The news was shared at a company-wide meeting hosted by BD’s associate resource group, African Americans at BD (AABD), on Thursday, June 4, which offered a candid conversation with company leaders in response to current events.
 

“The recent tragic and painful incidents have further amplified the need for change to address the history of racial inequalities and injustice in the Black community,” said Johnel Evans, Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity. “We have a heightened level of accountability and a renewed urgency in truly demonstrating our purpose is our promise and delivering our promise to affect much needed change. This donation to EJI is one small way that BD can demonstrate its firm and unequivocal stand against racism and its commitment to racial justice, inclusion and diversity.”
 

To further its support in fighting racial injustice, BD will match donations (1:1) made by U.S.-based BD employees to an eligible 501(c)3 organization that works to eliminate racism, including The Equal Justice Initiative, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and National Urban League.

The featured image of this story is a sculpture by Hank Willis Thomas titled, “Raise Up”. It is located in The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. Photo credit: Equal Justice Initiative/Human Pictures.