Disney Releases Statement on the Killing of George Floyd and Racial Disparity

Jessica Figueroa

Disney Releases Statement on the Killing of George Floyd and Racial Disparity

Disney has released a statement addressed to its employees regarding the murder of George Floyd, and the ongoing protests throughout the country due to ongoing racial disparity. The letter is signed off on behalf of Bob Iger, Bob Chapek, and Latondra Newton.

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Photo Credit: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images – Forbes

Resolve in a Time of Unrest: A Message to Fellow Employees

Dear Fellow Employee,

The recent killing of George Floyd as well as other instances of lethal attacks and harassment of unarmed black citizens in our nation continue to drive outrage and calls for action by people of all cultural backgrounds, including many of our employees. Feelings of grief and anger cause us to confront the inscrutable idea that the lives of some are deemed less valuable – and less worthy of dignity, care and protection – than the lives of others.

While these devastating incidents are not new, there’s something unique about what’s happening in this moment. The pandemic coupled with these recent injustices have pushed the issues of racial disparity into the open.

We, too, are struggling to make sense of the recent tragedies that leave us feeling overcome with sorrow. While we don’t have all the answers, we resolve to use our compassion, our creative ideas and our collective sense of humanity to ensure we are fostering a culture that acknowledges our people’s feelings and their pain. We also realize that now more than ever is the time for us all to further strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion everywhere.

We intend to focus our efforts and resources to compassionately and constructively talk about these matters openly and honestly as we seek solutions. We intend to keep the conversation going, not just today, but for as long as it takes to bring about real change.

Bob Chapek, Bob Iger & Latondra Newton

The full statement can be found on The Walt Disney Company’s “Recent News” page.

Here at WDWNT, we believe that #BlackLivesMatter is not a political statement, but one grounded on the basis of equality and justice for all.

Featured Image: Forbes

4 thoughts on “Disney Releases Statement on the Killing of George Floyd and Racial Disparity”

  1. Thank you, while I’m not a poc I couldn’t agree more with you guys and a proud WIGS member. Equality and Justice for all, BLM.

  2. I used to be a cop. What he did was unbelievable. I don’t know what the guy may have done or not before, but an arrest should not take that long with 1 person versus several cops. There also should not have been that kind of pressure on his neck that long. Absolutely wrong whether it was racially motivated, lack of training, or all of the above.

    One wrong however does not justify another. The peaceful protests are fine, but this should not result in fires, looting, and attacks which damage property and injure more people. This kind of violence just makes things worse. I’m sure the pent up frustrations of the pandemic haven’t helped as people are already aggravated and stressed more so than usual.

    Let’s work together and try to take the time to talk, listen, and reason with one another with our differences and those things we can agree on, and not respond by escalating things to the point that more lives are endangered and property destroyed. That will not honor this man’s memory but instead will overshadow it.

    • If we want to help bring an end to the kind of rage that leads to rioting in future, the best way forward is to actually LISTEN when someone is protesting peacefully by kneeling during the National Anthem instead of criticizing it and brushing it aside as “the wrong way to protest.” As MLK famously said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” However, it seems the bad apples will always find a way to mix themselves in with the peaceful protestors anyway, and the bad apples are the ones who distract from the message and get noticed more in the media. Let’s make a point of not letting them be seen as representative of the larger contingent of well-intentioned protestors.

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