For anyone who tuned in to watch (or was privileged to attend) the Golden Globes on January 7th, there was an inescapable message: Time’s Up for gender- and race-based inequities in Hollywood and beyond.
If you missed out, Oprah Winfrey’s Cecil B. DeMille acceptance speech captured the spirit of the moment perfectly.
We second that individual and collective cri de guerre, and we hope it proves true.
At the same time, we know that victory won’t be immediate, and it won’t happen on its own.
Who better to remind us of the moral imperative of time and personal involvement than Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose name day we celebrated on Monday. In his inimitable words:
“Time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to work to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”
Surely that doesn’t mean me. I’m not a Hollywood / Wall Street / DC power broker.
Well, actually it means all of us.
As Rev. Dr. King said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
But I’m not a bigot / chauvinist / racist.
We didn’t think so. And that makes our shared moral and economic imperative that much more pressing.
“Many white Americans of good will have never connected bigotry with economic exploitation. They have deplored prejudice but tolerated or ignored economic injustice.”
Society is what we make it. Therefore it’s incumbent on each of us to act on our beliefs in a just society, if we are ever to have one.
There are so many other things to worry about. Can’t this wait?
No.
The fact that there are so many other interrelated concerns at this moment is exactly why economic and social justice can’t wait, and why people of good will can’t wait.
“The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.”
Please tell me there is some good news here.
Gladly! There is very good news here.
“The past decade has been a most exciting one. In spite of the tensions and uncertainties of this period something profoundly meaningful is taking place. Old systems of exploitation and oppression are passing; new systems of justice and equality are being born. In a real sense this is a great time to be alive. Therefore I am not yet discouraged about the future. Granted that the easygoing optimism of yesterday is impossible. Granted that we face a world crisis which leaves us standing so often amid the surging murmur of life’s restless sea. But every crisis has both its dangers and its opportunities. It can spell either salvation or doom. In a dark, confused world, the Kingdom of God may yet reign in the heart of men [and women].”
Amen.
We are eternally grateful for Reverend Dr. King’s life, ministry, and secular legacy. And we are proud and humbled to be in extraordinary company with the Time’s Up activists and signatories, as well as innumerable other founders, investors, organization leaders, instigators, and regular citizens who are engaged in all manner of ways today, right now, this very moment to bring about a just and equitable society, the beloved community, a more perfect union.
Together, we can make it so. As only we can. And as we must.
For our part, Reinventure Capital is raising a fund to invest equity and debt capital in early growth stage (breakeven or so) companies led by women and people of color. We know from prior experience and from daily encounters that these overlooked founders represent tremendous untapped potential to achieve higher value outcomes for all involved.*
Please join us.
*While there’s no such thing as a guarantee in investing and no one can reliably predict the future, Ed’s prior track record provides direct evidence that it is indeed possible to consistently invest for both financial returns and social value creation. To learn more, please contact us.