People in cities across the US and around the world are continuing to show up to protest police brutality and racial injustice. The demonstrations began in response to the rising number of senseless murders of Black people in the United States — including the recent killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor — and have grown to address a number of systemic racial inequalities across the globe.
The private sector, including Global Citizen’s partner Procter & Gamble, has quickly sprung into action by making commitments to further support equity and inclusion within their organizations and beyond.
On June 10, as part of the second day of Oprah Winfrey’s town hall dedicated to discussions on race, P&G aired a new video called “The Choice.” The ad delivers an emotional plea to white Americans to be actively anti-racist and recognize the stark difference between their treatment and the treatment of Black people in the US.
“Being white in America is not needing to state your life matters,” the text in a portion of the ad reads. “Now is the time to take action. Read. Listen. Donate. Plan. March. Vote. Speak out. Step in. Step up.”
“The Choice” builds on P&G’s previous work highlighting bias and inequality in order to spark dialogue and understanding. Over the past three years, P&G has published “The Talk” and “The Look,” award-winning videos that helped to shed light on racial biases. The company also released “Circumstances” earlier this year, which highlights the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on Black communities in America. In light of the recent events, P&G started re-airing these films to reach and educate a broader audience.
P&G’s latest video highlights its commitment to bringing race to the forefront of conversations both in the public and corporate sector.
Releasing “The Choice” is only one of the ways that P&G is responding to recent demands for greater equality and justice. On June 3, P&G announced the launch of its new “Take On Race” Fund, which will contribute an initial $5 million to national social justice organizations, including the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, YWCA Stand Against Racism, and the United Negro College Fund, as well as smaller advocacy organizations like the Courageous Conversation Global Foundation.
P&G also recently announced a partnership with TIME for a multi-part series of TIME100 talks, which feature leading experts on the issues facing our world today. The speaking events have spotlighted the work of individuals across the country who are working to mobilize for justice, equality, and inclusion in the age of COVID-19.
Global Citizen and P&G worked together in 2019 to draw attention to the injustice of the cash bail system in the United States, which favors wealthy Americans who can afford bail over those living in poverty, disproportionately affecting people of color. The efforts culminated in “Ending Cash Bail,” an episode of the documentary series ACTIVATE, showing the journey of the campaign from its outset to the end of cash bail for most people in New York State.
Click here to see Global Citizen’s official statement on racial justice.