What if he were my son?

What if he were my brother? My father? My friend? What if she were my daughter? My sister? My friend?

Over the last several months, we have been deeply angered by the senseless murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Their deaths and the deaths of countless others before them represent so much more than violent acts of racism by random individuals. They represent an entire nation that was founded on white supremacy—a nation that operates under the notion that some people deserve dignity, respect, and freedom, whereas others do not; a nation that says that only select lives matter, while others are disposable. 

It pains us to see members of our community routinely experience the results of systematic disinvestment, institutional racism, and racially-based prejudice. We look forward to the day when freedom, respect, and dignity are equitably distributed and universally enjoyed, and we know that building that right and just world takes all of us working together to denounce racism in all forms. We invite you to join us in working towards a better world for our sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, and for our friends. 

We are committed to actively dismantling systemic and institutional racism internally and externally. We will continue to uplift the value and dignity of each of our participants through our work to increase their economic opportunity and to uplift the unique, individual contributions they make to our community. We will also continue working directly with employer partners to support equitable hiring and retention practices. 

We invite you to pray, learn, and grow along with us, and to continue to support the individuals who find meaningful employment through One On One.

In solidarity and gratitude,

The One On One Leadership Team

Jordan Anderson, Franklin Ballenger, and Rebekah Kikama