Earlier this week, JumpStart released this public statement amidst the ongoing unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd:

JumpStart stands with all Black and Brown Americans, for whom systemic racism has been an ever-present barrier to individual and collective progress.

Our mission is to unlock the full potential of diverse and ambitious entrepreneurs to transform entire communities. We acknowledge this mission cannot be achieved while systemic racism remains.

This is a human rights issue, a public health crisis and a barrier to economic growth for all Americans. For these reasons, we will act with urgency alongside partners who share the goal of eradicating racism in all forms.

As we turn our individual and collective pain into purpose and action, we are committed to working with our non-profit and institutional partners, innovators, entrepreneurs and small businesses to make significant progress toward a more diverse, inclusive and equitable future.

As an immediate follow-up action, we joined more than 20 Greater Cleveland organizations in signing a declaration of racial equity and inclusion and pledging to address racism as a public health crisis.

We know we have much work to do to fulfill the public commitments we have made to the Black and Brown communities we serve. In the coming weeks and months, we pledge to act with purpose and urgency while listening to and amplifying the voices of these communities.