General News Point

Student leaders currently at Morehouse College formed the 2nd Atlanta Student Movement with the endorsement of Atlanta City Council Member Micheal Julian Bond and student leaders at 6 of Atlanta’s higher institutions. They were inspired by Julian Bond, Joseph Pierce, and Lonnie King Jr. Morehouse Alumni, but students when they led the original Atlanta Student Movement (1960-1965) desegregating public and private establishments in Atlanta, GA. 160+ students have signed their petition and now the Atlanta Student Movement is asking students and allies everywhere to support their campaign by signing and sharing!

The students’ goal is awareness for corporate racial equity responsibility, performance, and accountability. They’re petitioning 20 unique target corporations to take what they call RE-RAP; the Racial Equity Responsibility, Accountability, and Performance survey. They intend to contact targets directly after their petition has gained significant awareness. All companies who want to open the conversation surrounding corporate accountability measures are encouraged to do so.

The commonality among target companies is they signed & committed to the ATL Action for Racial Equity, powered by the Atlanta Metro Chamber. This commitment was to signify inclusive & progressive companies seriously dedicated to addressing systemic racism. The commitment was targeted actions to address systemic racism and advance racial equity plus tracking subsequent & associated KPIs.

Their movement is powered by the Black Certification Agency Incorporated. Black Certification is the only business certification based on that racial equity performance (RE-RAP). It gives Black and African Americans direct accountability & insight into corporate policy. These students’ position is strong as they understand their role as a group of diverse & talented students at Atlanta’s colleges and universities who will be the next generation of Atlanta’s full-time employees.

Last summer we witnessed the beginning of a national and arguably global reckoning with racial inequality. Two-thirds of the S&P 500 companies made statements after the death of George Floyd; 36% of those companies made financial contributions to racial justice organizations, and 14% said Black Lives Matter. (source: As You Sow). Bloomberg reported, “Global ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) assets are on track to exceed $53 trillion by 2025, representing more than a third of the $140.5 trillion in projected total assets under management.” This shows that major companies understand their responsibility & ability to address social issues. Unfortunately; it is rarely clear as to the progress or seriousness of the actions behind those commitments. These students are proposing an innovative next step for companies to truly become progressive and go farther than simple position statements or one-time financial contributions. Actions like these are insincere or ultimately become largely performative. One-time payouts or payoffs to organizations are not major steps towards addressing 400 years of systemic racism for 40 million Black & African Americans.

For more information visit https://blackcertificationagency.org/atls-collegiate-racial-equity-initiative/ to questions, concerns, or comments, contributions, speak with a student leader, or simply show your support! Contact: 2ndatlantastudentmovement@blackcertificationagency.org

Contact Detail:

Company Name: Black Certification Agency Incorporated
Contact Person: Zaire Jm Gary
Email: Send Email
Phone No: 8036161713
Country: United States
Website Url: http://blackcertificationagency.org/atls-collegiate-racial-equity-initiative/