Source: Nike / Nike
Black employees at the sports apparel giant Nike have announced that they will not be working for the rest of the week. The announcement comes amidst the protests against racially motivated killings of Black people in America, specifically by law enforcement.
Some of the workers who have participated in the demonstration have set out-of-office email alerts.
“While I am out of office I will be using my time to combat social injustices,” the auto-reply reads. “You can contact local and state officials to demand justice for Blake and for the police officers involved to be held accountable.”
Included in the message is a laundry list of Black Americans who have been killed at the hands of the police, among them are so of the most well known, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Sean Bell. But the act was sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake.
On August 23, Jacob Blake had just broken up a fight between two women and was walking back to his vehicle when Kenosha Wisconsin officers shot him in the back 7 times, while his children watched in the car. Blake is currently in the hospital, in serious condition, paralyzed from the waist down.
The messages also include calls for the officer who shot Blake to be arrested. “You can contact local and state officials to demand justice for Blake and for the police officers involved to be held accountable.”
During protests this summer that stemmed from the killing of George Floyd, Nike faced some internal rift as a page appeared on Instagram (@blackatnike) which has since been taken down, highlighting some of the plights and revealing some of the micro-aggressions Black employees currently employed or previously employed by Nike, have experienced.
Nike has not provided comment on the Instagram page beyond stating that they do not support discrimination of any kind in their work environment. They released a statement yesterday expressing solidarity with athletes and their employees who are striking or boycotting in the name of justice for the senseless shooting of Blake.
Nike leadership has expressed its support for employees protest and encouraged them to take as much time off as they see fit.
Courtesy of Complex, you can read the entire bounce back email below:
Today I am out of office because of…
David McAtee, June 1, 2020; George Perry Floyd, May 25, 2020; Dreasjon “Sean” Reed May 6, 2020; Michael Brent Charles Ramos, April 24, 2020; Breonna Taylor, March 13, 2020; Manuel “Mannie” Elijah Ellis,March 3, 2020; Atatiana Koquice Jefferson, October 12, 2019; Emantic “EJ” Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., November 22, 2018; Charles “Chop” Roundtree Jr., October 17, 2018; Chinedu Okobi, October 3, 2018; Botham Shem Jean,September 6, 2018; Antwon Rose Jr., June 19, 2018; Saheed Vassell, April 4, 2018; Stephon Alonzo Clark, March 18, 2018; Aaron Bailey, June 29, 2017; Charleena Chavon Lyles, June 18, 2017; Fetus of Charleena Chavon Lyles June 18, 2017; Jordan Edwards, April 29, 2017, Chad Robertson ,February 15, 2017, Deborah Danner, October 18, 2016, Alfred Olango, September 27, 2016, Terence Crutcher, September 16, 2016, Terrence LeDell Sterling, September 11, 2016; Korryn Gaines, August 1, 2016; Joseph Curtis Mann, July 11, 2016; Philando Castile, July 6, 2016; Alton Sterling, July 5, 2016; Bettie “Betty Boo” Jones, December 26, 2015; Quintonio LeGrier, December 26, 2015; Corey Lamar Jones, October 18, 2015; Jamar O’Neal Clark, November 16, 2015; Jeremy “Bam Bam” McDole, September 23, 2015; India Kager, September 5, 2015; Samuel Vincent DuBose, July 19, 2015; Sandra Bland, July 13, 2015; Brendon K. Glenn,May 5, 2015; Freddie Carlos Gray Jr., April 19, 2015; Walter Lamar Scott, April 4, 2015; Eric Courtney Harris, April 2, 2015; Phillip Gregory White,March 31, 2015; Mya Shawatza Hall, March 30, 2015; Meagan Hockaday, March 28, 2015; Tony Terrell Robinson, Jr., March 6, 2015; Janisha Fonville, February 18 2015; Natasha McKenna, February 8, 2015; Jerame C. Reid, December 30, 2014; Rumain Brisbon, December 2, 2014; Tamir Rice, November 22, 2014; Akai Kareem Gurley, November 20, 2014; Tanisha N. Anderson, November 13, 2014; Dante Parker, August 12, 2014; Ezell Ford, August 11, 2014; Michael Brown Jr., August 9, 2014; John Crawford III, August 5, 2014; Eric Garner, July 17, 2014…AND SO MANY OTHERS!!
In the words of Lemon Anderson, “The only soles you should be caring about right now are the ones with the ‘Black souls’ in them.”
While I am out of office I will be using my time to combat social injustices. You can join me by doing one of the following:
- You can contact local and state officials to demand justice for Blake and for the police officers involved to be held accountable:
- Kenosha District Attorney: 262-653-2400, Michael.Graveley@da.wi.gov
- Kenosha Mayor and City Administrator: 262-653-4000, mayor@kenosha.org, cityadministrator@kenosha.org
- Wisconsin DOJ: 608-266-1221Register to Vote/Educate yourself on issues on the ticket/Volunteer to register people to vote
- You can contact local and state officials to demand justice for Breonna Taylor and for the police officers involved to be held accountable:
- Sign petitions #JusticeforFloyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmed Arbery, Belly Mujinga, etc.
- Contact your local Congressional representative to fight for the creation of policy for transparent investigation process due to law enforcement misconduct
- Donate to numerous funds: (just to name a few, but there are plenty others)
- Fund the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) or NAACP Legal Defense Fund (Nike will match your giving x2)
- Self-educate (keep listening and learning)
- Use social media channels to promote justice for #BreonnaTaylor, #JacobBlake, #BLM
#BlackLivesMatter
