The events of the past weeks have shocked and saddened all of us at the IAPP. The violent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and too many other Black Americans have reminded us of the deep and systemic malignancy of racism within our society. The violence toward our Black community is inexcusable. The stain of racism is shameful. Both must call us to action.
At the IAPP, we stand in solidarity with those who protest these senseless murders. We join the global voices condemning racism and violence. We share the feelings of grief and anger that so many are experiencing. We believe that Black lives matter.
Diversity and inclusion are central to the values and mission of the IAPP. As a global professional association, we serve a broad and growing community around the world. Our members form a spectrum of national, racial, ethnic, religious and sexual orientation backgrounds, speak in dozens of languages, and have widely divergent political views. Ensuring that those voices — all of those voices — are represented and heard is critical to the vibrancy and depth of our professional community.
But there is more that we can do.
Over the coming weeks, we will be talking to members and leaders within the IAPP community to ensure that we are living up to our commitments to diversity and inclusion. We will explore new opportunities to improve pathways to our profession for people of color. And we will expand our examination of the implications of privacy and surveillance in the context of racial justice.
As I have spoken with Black members, board members and staff of the IAPP in the past two weeks, I have been overwhelmed by their sense of despair in the face of current affairs. We have no ready cure for this pain. But we can share the burden and together work toward a better future.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
