From the Executive Director – Taking a Stand
Out of respect for the important conversations taking place nationally, PCG has remained quiet this past week. In that time, there has been an opportunity to listen, learn, and reflect. What has surfaced is a glaring reality, that we, as an organization and community need to do more.
While raising money for important causes to support the work to rectify the social and racial injustices is one thing communities and organizations can do, we need to do more.
While speaking out against police brutality, the murder of unarmed black people is something organizations and communities can do, we need to do more.
While holding up signs and joining the movement of people towards sustainable and substantial change is something organizations and communities can do: We need to do more.
The magnitude of work that is ahead of all of us cannot be understated. Actionable steps need to be put into place at Piedmont Culinary Guild to address the horrible atrocities that have occurred in our country, at the hands of white people, against black men and women.
These times are uncertain, yes. The global COVID-19 pandemic has set off a series of events that is driving political and economic wedges deeper. We may be six feet apart, but recent days have shown us that we must come together to end racism. To end police brutality, protect our black sisters and brothers and pave a way for the next generation to know a life without this suffering.
More than 50% of the food and beverage workforce across the country is black. It is time for more food and beverage organizations to step into the role we have been called to do, but until recently, failed mightily.
Piedmont Culinary Guild is pledging to work to learn and grow. We want to see our community accurately represented in our membership, which it is not.
In order to take this first step, we must work to make our organization place of trusted sanctuary for all. Food is sacred, and we want to know those that may not have felt they could play a part in our organization, or that they wouldn’t be welcome to come and “break bread” with us.
So first, please share our open enrollment link with anyone you may know in the industry. The reason I am asking this of everyone is because everyone, members and non members alike, can play an active part in strengthening and extending our professional network.
Second, in order to create the needed sustainable and substantial changes we seek in the diversity of our membership, I’m looking for the support of our Black and POC membership especially, to partner inside and out of our network to build a larger coalition to drive attention to and make priority of POC.
If you are interested in joining me to help our organization drive attention to, and make a priority of, social and racial justice for all in our membership and in our industry please email me to join our forming Social and Racial Equality Committee.
We will change racist behavior if we move through each day, committed to seeing the truths, speaking out against racial violence and listening to what our community needs.
In solidarity,
Kris Reid
Executive Director