A Special Message from Acumen Wealth Advisors
There are few things more American than freedom. Freedom includes pursuing your life to the best of your ability regardless of the color of your skin. We at Acumen recognize racial discrimination is a threat to the very core of freedom and strongly believe in promoting peace, equality, and equity for all. America is stronger together and racial prejudice is our challenge.
Two things we can control are our attitudes and our efforts. For this reason, Acumen is committed to do our part for change. We are increasing support of our long-standing commitment to two specific organizations making an impact with an emphasis on helping our local Black communities: LAUNCH and Y-CAP.
We have supported LAUNCH for nearly ten years because of their significant support for entrepreneurs in our community. Most of LAUNCH’s new entrepreneurs are minority owned. LAUNCH believes there cannot be racial justice without economic justice. Entrepreneurship is a distinct avenue for minorities to build wealth and take charge. Entrepreneurship is for everyone with a dream, not just an elite few. LAUNCH helps elevate, encourage, and equip underserved entrepreneurs in our community. Their work over the past ten years has been dedicated to closing the racial wealth gap, removing obstacles, creating generational impact, and empowering marginalized communities.
“No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people, and as long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise.” Marian Anderson
We passionately support Y-CAP, an early intervention and prevention program for youth ages from 10 to 15 who have been referred by either the juvenile court system or the school system. Each child and their family have a personalized action plan which addresses their educational, behavioral, and spiritual needs, including mentoring, tutoring, hot meals, family nights, and group therapy.
We are committed to these organizations serving the community to provide more resources and opportunity for those who need it most. We are a nation in need of unity, healing, and working towards a more inclusive and just society. To better understand each other, please see a list of educational resources below provided to us by LAUNCH.
Chattanooga Black-Owned Businesses and Artists
Websites:
- Fair Fight
- Equal Justice Initiative
- NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc
- Color of Change
- Black Lives Matter
- Diversity and Resiliency Institute of El Paso
Watch:
- 13th (Netflix)
- When They See Us (Netflix)
- The Hate You Give (for rent on most VOD platforms)
- Just Mercy (free to rent on iTunes in month of June)
- TED Talks to Help You Understand Racism in America
- What Happens When I Try to Talk Race with White People
- TEDx Talks: 50 Years of Racism – Why Silence Isn’t the Answer
Read:
- “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism” by Robin DiAngelo
- “Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do” by Jennifer L. Eberhardt
- “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson
- “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin
- “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
- “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander
- NY Times Antiracist Reading List
- Dear White People: Here Are 10 Actions You Can Take To Promote Racial Justice In The Workplace
- Guidelines for Being Strong White Allies