Our Commitment to Anti-racism
Jun 02, 2020 ·
2 min read
June 1, 2020 — DVXD stands in solidarity with our fellow Black citizens, friends, colleagues, clients and community members who are disenfranchised and harmed by ongoing systemic racism and injustice.
It is clear the moment is now to either continue to stay silent or to earnestly start demanding change of ourselves, our communities, our workplaces and our government to dismantle the inherent, structural racism in our society, which especially impacts Black and Indigenous peoples.
Our studio was founded on the belief that businesses have an opportunity to share in the prosperity that comes with creating socially-centred products and brands. As we reflect on the killing of yet another Black person, George Floyd, at the hands of police in the United States and continue to bare witness to racism in our own community here in Toronto, we know that belief must also mean sharing in the responsibility of meaningfully changing who is centred in the work we create.
For the leaders we work with, and ourselves, that must include listening and learning so we can assist in the work to undo years of systemic racism in all aspects of our lives. It means confronting the conscious and unconscious ways we disenfranchise and harm Black colleagues, customers, and communities we impact.
Further, we must build meaningful ways to support, empower, protect and assist in accelerating the suppressed prosperity of those who are held back and harmed by oppressive and racist structures all around us.
From educating ourselves, to signing petitions to demand legistlative and policy changes, to supporting organizations who are tirelessly working in spaces of injustice, we are committed to take action to dismantle anti-Black racism.
Finally, as an independent studio we have power in choosing who we partner with, how we build and grow our team, and how we all create work together. We look forward to continued partnerships only with organizations who share this same commitment.
Black lives matter.
Derek Vaz — Founder, Principal
DVXD
Photo Credit: Clay Banks