The recent events surrounding George Floyd’s death have weighed heavily on all of us at Nav. 

Racism and discrimination — in any form, at any level —  is unacceptable. And what’s also unacceptable is silence.  Silence amounts to complicity.  We cannot remain quiet on issues of injustice in humanity. Silence is deafening, and by not openly talking about racism and discrimination it grows in the shadows. 

Today, I am breaking the silence on behalf of all Nav team members. 

Institutional racism cannot be solved by any single initiative or any one organization. It will take collective power and action on behalf of progress to bring about the change we need in our world. 

This week, the Nav team gathered virtually to dedicate time to honor George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Brown, Eric Garner and the many others who have had their lives unjustly taken. As a group, we sat silent for 8 minutes and 46 seconds of uninterrupted reflection and mourning. 

Following the silence, team members bravely opened up about their experiences with racism and discrimination. They shared about their realities, their fears, their misconceptions, and most importantly, their hopes. And, we made statements to one another to do better. To be better. 

Diversity is a core part of who we are at Nav. Nav is composed of people of all backgrounds and identities. It’s one of the key components that I believe makes Nav so special. As a company, we are committed to being part of the change that allows every single person — not only those at Nav — to be themselves without fear. 

Over the next few weeks, our company will be collectively deciding how we can best support the efforts of change and reinforce our commitment to helping business owners of color. This isn’t a decision that’s going to “come from the top.”  We want, and need, each and every one of our team members to voice their opinion on how we can be helpful in bringing about change. 

We must overcome all forms of hate and discrimination. And, together we will.