Like the clear majority of Americans, we are still reeling from the events that took place in Charlottesville this past weekend, and are sickened by the hatred, intolerance, and bigotry so violently and tragically displayed there.
While the clash came glaringly to the forefront of national news and our collective consciousness like a bolt of lightning, it’s not a surprise to most that the events in Charlottesville represent an ugly truth that’s been festering under the surface of our country’s foundation since its very inception. The events are systemic of a deeper—and in many ways more challenging—structural racism in our society, one that prevents people of color from access to opportunities, networks, and resources that white people have always known.
It’s not only cruel and grossly unfair that people of color should not have equal access to all facets of our society, it also makes our country weaker. In so many of our natural and constructed systems, diversity is what makes us stronger. When making investments, it is the diversified portfolio that protects and sustains one’s assets and financial health. It is the variety of healthy foods, vitamins, and minerals that keeps our bodies strong. And when an artist crafts a symphony or painting, it is not a single instrument or color on the palette that he or she uses to create, but a variety of instruments, tones, and textures that work together, artfully blended, that makes a masterpiece. The same is also true with our society: our diversity makes us stronger, more resilient, and more beautiful.
Diversity matter to us in our work at vChief. We are proud to employ a team of individuals who are not only brilliantly qualified to serve our clients, but half of whom are people of color. This is not an accident. It reflects our company’s deep belief in the importance of diversity and the strength that it gives us as an organization. Diversity matters to us at vChief because we believe we make better decisions and provide greater support to clients as a result of our differences. Our team is diverse not only in terms of race and ethnicity, but also in religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and more. We hail from a wide variety of professional backgrounds. These differences work together to create a network of support for one another and our clients in powerful and meaningful ways.
Diversity also matters to our clients, all of whom do incredible work, several of them with an explicit focus on diversity. Braven helps support first-generation, often low-income minority students complete college so they can thrive in high-impact roles as diverse leaders for the next generation. Camelback Ventures supports social entrepreneurs of color through an incubator program that provides coaching, capital, and connections to create a more diverse innovation ecosystem. The Black Teacher Collaborative provides support to cohorts of black educators to ensure black children achieve in the classroom and advance their communities.
vChief has always been deeply inspired by the quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” It takes work, intention, and focus, but we are proud to continue our work to build a strong, diverse, inclusive, and effective team. We hope that you are all thinking about how you can support these ideals at your organizations as well. Together we can prove that our diversity is our strength.
