By Karen McFarlane
AMA New York President
Like us, you may be feeling overwhelmed, apprehensive, angry, or exhausted by the recent events that shine a floodlight on the racial inequality and discrimination that continues to plague our society. We grieve for the victims, cry with their families and friends, and mourn the sense of hope and security lost with each life cut short because of the color of their skin.
It is not enough to express our sorrow with a statement or find victory in a few arrests. The inequities suffered by people of color throughout history is far too profound to be summed up by #SayTheirName. It’s time to do more than express outrage over the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the long list of black lives that met a violent end. It’s time to take actions that use the power of voice to compel real change.
Please join us on June 19.
As marketers, we are innovators, strategizers, messengers, and campaigners. Our job is to shape narratives that communicate value, create meaning, and establish societal norms. Using the power of our collective voices, we can outline the role marketers can play in standing for and delivering on the ideals, values, and principles that promote equality, respect, and unity.
As a first step, AMA New York will host a virtual forum on Friday, June 19. This open discussion is an opportunity for us to come together and share views on how AMA New York can help you become informed and empowered agents of change within your organizations. In advance of the forum, you can share a comment, experience, or idea about how we, as a diverse marketing community, can transform this moment of trauma into meaningful and sustained change for our country.
Your voice will fuel the strategies and programs the AMA Board of Directors and our fellow committee volunteers pursue. Our mission is to inspire, support, and celebrate brilliance in marketing. I hope you will join us on June 19 so we can be brilliant in this cause together.
