To our Fans, Friends, and Neighbors;
For days now, we’ve talked with our team about this recent round of egregious injustice. As we’ve cared for each other and grieved the life of George Floyd and the many men and women taken before him, we’ve experienced sadness, anger, helplessness, and rage. The time for change has long since passed. We stand in solidarity with all those making their voices heard. Black lives matter.
I’m writing as one part of HCT’s very diverse, broad team of people. This is a responsibility that makes me a little uncomfortable at this moment. Not because I don’t have strong opinions on the subject, but because my voice, and the voice of our HCT brand for that matter, are much less valuable than the experience of our team members right now. We’re more committed than ever to elevating the voices that need to be heard, both internal to HCT and more broadly in our community. We want you to join us in this effort.
This past weekend, we joined team Jeni’s and Council Member Priscilla Tyson in signing a letter to Columbus City Council in support of the resolution to declare racism a public health crisis. More than 1,000 local business leaders have followed their lead, pushing for collective action. The letter was submitted to Columbus City Council on Monday, June 1 and passed by the Columbus Board of Health. The full letter can be read in detail here.
HCT, nor I, claim to have all the answers, but we do know that staying silent isn’t an option. We will continue to use our voice to catalyze justice, equality and reform. If you have perspectives on how we can best accomplish this, please share with us at community@hotchickentakeover.com.
Together,
Joe