Black Lives Matter: A Statement from the Cogent Team
ON April 27, 2021
Our core values of reducing and eliminating inequity, beginning with the direction of capital and financial solutions, have always driven Cogent Consulting’s work. Cogent and our partners like the Twin Cities Impact Investing Ecosystem are founded on principles of relentless positive change using our privileged resources and networks in the financial sector for good.
Our hearts are broken with events in our home the Twin Cities and global community. While the verdict of guilty on all murder charges for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on April 20th is a positive development, racism is far from over. The Cogent team knows it is not enough to be “not racist,” but we and all white people need to be actively anti-racist. We affirm that Black Lives Matter and recommit to that value in the wake of Duante Wright, Adam Toldedo, and Ma’Khia Bryant’s deaths at the hands of police.
We are reaching out to express that our hearts are with our Black friends and colleagues. We also ask our fellow white folks to seek out opportunities to join anti-racist efforts. We have included some places to start in this post.
Listen & Learn
Allyship
Laylee Amadi of the creatives education podcast “So, Here’s the Thing” featured former Cogent Communications Associate Akua Konadu and her expertise in allyship to Black communities.
Partner
Social Strategy
Akua today empowers social media entrepreneurs with personalized strategies. Get in touch with her via her website.
Support
Initiatives
Donate capital and time to a local Community Development Financial Institution like Meda that supports BIPOC.
Support
Businesses
Order delivery and buy from local Black businesses like Junita’s Jar cookies.
Attend
Events
Support the Center For Economic Inclusion, the first organization dedicated to inclusive economic growth, and attend their events for professionals and businesses who want to take action.
Join Cogent for events that embody our mission for social impact through investment.
Build Forward Better: the 2021 Twin Cities Impact Investing Ecosystem conference, features a dozen guests with proven social impact strategies, nearly all of who are offering their valuable experiences as BIPOC. Tickets are available now.
Our next Social Entrepreneur Roundtable is May 18. Founder Susan Hammel uses these sessions to connect with professionals new to impact investing, students, businesses, and anyone who may value the perspective of a veteran in the field – plus a chance to network with others.
What I'm doing now
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This powerful quote is how Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison opened his keynote address at the Minnesota Council on Foundations annual conference last month. As Americans, we stand for individual freedom, the right to pursue happiness, and the dignity of each person. These fundamental values are under assault. We need to muster our courage and act. Perhaps it’s reaching out to a friend with disabilities who is worried about funding cuts. Maybe it’s shopping and dining at non-traditional places and restaurants such as those found on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Or maybe it’s running for public office so we’ll have better leadership choices. Let me know what actions you’re taking in these fraught times.
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