Recent events have reverberated a tragic history of injustice in our country. We mourn not just the loss of African American lives, but ultimately the humanity of our society. All of us at Barancik Foundation know now is not the time for silence or inaction.
We condemn the entrenched and broken systems that allow discrimination and inequality to continue to exist. Everyone deserves a fair opportunity to thrive, yet staggering gaps persist for families and children in our poorest and most diverse neighborhoods. Our values revolve around the belief that a child’s skin color or zip code should not have more influence on their success than the dreams they have in their hearts.
But there is hope. In our community, organizations work tirelessly in building a just world and creating future generations of children who can do better than we have done. And since our founding, building equity has been the common thread that runs through our relationship with our partners.
Partnerships with the Boys & Girls Clubs and Girls Inc. have expanded youth development programs into our most undeserved neighborhoods. Minority-led nonprofits such as SOAR Learning Center, UnidosNow, Truly Valued, and Brotherhood of Men lift the voices of those they serve and help guide our work. Other partners like Asolo Rep, Embracing Our Differences, Better Futures Foundation, and Florida Studio Theatre help facilitate difficult conversations and remind us to learn from our past.
All are life changing organizations that we hope you, too, will support.
We stand with those seeking accountability from our leaders and changes to the policies that have locked generations of families in disparity and anguish. We stand with our partners who work to do what is right–and recognizing the urgency of their action, we intensify our efforts to support them.
We cannot guarantee that everyone will have equal outcomes in life, but we can guarantee we will work towards a community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
