A Statement from Verity Platforms Inc on Addressing Systemic Inequality and Racism

Like so many of you reading this note, we at Verity Platforms are deeply troubled by the murder of George Floyd and the treatment of peaceful protesters unifying around a simple ask: justice and equality. The events that have unfolded over the last few weeks are not new, but rather symptoms of a disease that has long undermined universally self-evident truths and plagued efforts to build a more just society. As autonomous individuals, we implicitly enter into a social contract of which we equally relinquish certain rights so that we may share in the opportunities and protections offered by a community. That the terms of such a contract differ between neighbors because of one’s race is a failure of these social institutions and at odds with the ideals of this country. Put simply, it is a failure when persons of color do not have the same access to the fruits of the systems constituting civil society, and instead are all too often placed at their mercy.

As a company we believe it is important to lend our voice to this conversation, but perhaps more importantly, it is a time to listen, to learn and to act. We believe it is incumbent upon each of us to reflect and ask ourselves what steps we can take to foster a more inclusive culture. Our company philosophy is based upon a belief that the purpose of a market economy is to allocate society’s resources to where they are most needed, and that civil society and the market economy are interdependent, inextricably linked systems that are healthiest when the greatest number of voices are represented. The tools and features of Stwrd are designed with this in mind, and we believe leveraging them is the most direct action we can take as a company to address institutional racism. To support the ongoing conversation, we will be providing free use of Stwrd to any new or existing user that initiates or participates in a collective engagement focused on exploring the roots or impact of systemic racism and inequality. We are proud to support Change Finance’s important Gender & Racial Pay Inequality initiative in this way and will do the same for any like-minded initiative.

We know these issues are not new and they will not be resolved over night, but we are committed to taking meaningful steps internally and externally to help foster the change we want to see in this world. Currently Verity Platforms is only a small team, but we pledge to build a diverse company and cultivate an inclusive and anti-racist culture that is reflective of the society in which we wish to live.

If you wish to speak with us about how you can participate in Change Finance’s initiative or how you can start your own engagement on Stwrd, please reach out to us at hello@verityplatforms.com. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Marsh

Founder – Verity Platforms Inc