Black Lives Matter: a moment of reflection

This is a moment of profound grief that requires intense reflection. At EppoPay, we grieve for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Robert Fuller, Dominique Fells, Riah Milton, Malcolm Harsch, Oluwatoyin Salau, and every Black and Brown life that has been taken due to senseless violence and racism. We also grieve for the pervasive damage that systemic racism has done to our Black communities. Racism is toxic; when it poisons some of us, it poisons all of us. On behalf of the entire EppoPay team, I am proud to unequivocally state that Black Lives Matter, today and every day.

EppoPay was born from a desire to create a better, more just world – a world in which people can pay their rent without the pain, stress, and frustration that is all too common. One of the reasons I started these monthly emails was to raise awareness around the social issues that give context to why we started EppoPay. I have written about homelessness, lack of affordable housing, income volatility, and the risks of financial shock. I will continue to draw attention to systemic longstanding social problems.

The most important thing EppoPay can do right now is work. While we are racing towards our launch, we recognize that this moment offers a unique opportunity to define our action plan that puts diversity, justice, and compassion at the center of our business.

Like you, I am listening. I am learning, and I am opening my heart. As a company, our efforts will be iterative as we continue to listen, learn and grow, but today we commit to the following:
1. Continue to cultivate a company that champions diversity Our team is global, spanning the U.S., Europe, and India. I am proud of our current culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and relentless customer focus. We will continue to listen and do more. As our operation grows, we will be deliberate about hiring BIPOC talent across all levels of the organization. We are as committed to increasing BIPOC representation in our leadership as we are to creating space for the next generation of BIPOC leaders.

2. Partner with Black community leaders
One of the most effective things we can do to further our mission is to develop meaningful relationships with people and organizations that have a deep understanding of communities of color. We recognize that BIPOC communities often have unique needs, specific wants, and different sets of expectations. We will seek partnerships with organizations with proven track records of positive community development.

3. Design for a better world
The BLM movement is developing a new vision – a world that is less individualistic and more community-focused. As a nation, we are starting to speak a new language that is clear, direct and, demanding. A vision for a better world is emerging. As we consider future enhancements, EppoPay is committed to using our platform to support equality and liberation from unjust systems. As a starting point, our robust communications tool is designed to be used to improve community relations.

Against the backdrop of Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter, our work has never been more relevant. Our team is focused. We are joining so many others in channeling our grief into action. We are so appreciative of your support and enthusiasm for our mission, and we look forward to sharing some exciting business updates with you in the coming weeks.

With love and hope, 
Leslie and the EppoPay team


Leslie Hyman 
Co-Founder and CEO, EppoPay™ 
19 June 2020

As a reference, below are three podcasts that provided me with a better understanding of American history and the protests against racism:

Khalil Gibran Muhammad
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/03/869046127/american-police

Ta-Nehisi Coates
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-ta-nehisi-coates-is-hopeful/id1081584611?i=1000476756446

The Daily
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9yc3MuYXJ0MTkuY29tL3RoZS1kYWlseQ/episode/Z2lkOi8vYXJ0MTktZXBpc29kZS1sb2NhdG9yL1YwL0VEN0RLUXZGRWo2cnltZ2F3WFNQZzJ1OGg0SXB1NmdueGt6Q0lrNDdEcFk?hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwi1_rizqYzqAhXuhXIEHefIDQ4QieUEegQIAhAU&ep=6