To Our Community –

It has been heartbreaking to see what has happened across the country and in our own community over the past few days. The senseless killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner and so many more innocent black men and women is unacceptable and wrong on every level. It is devastating to see the injustices experienced by the black community throughout history only be responded to at a breaking point. History teaches us great and meaningful change comes through true reflection, understanding, healing and action.

The most important thing for us to do right now is to listen. Listen openly to each other, with the goal of learning and reaching for meaningful changes together. We recognize we have members of our community hurting and in pain right now, and it’s important all of us stand together in support, and then take action in our own lives and within our organizations.

In our efforts as a global nonprofit, we deeply understand that conservation is, at its heart, a human issue. And we can’t ask our guests, our supporters and our community to respect wildlife if we don’t first respect and value each other, and the beauty and differences that make us who we are. We are a richer community when we empower and enable diverse voices.

We all have a lot we can learn together from this moment. And we pledge to start within our own organization and industry to take steps toward greater inclusion of people of color. We have already begun this work, but it’s clear we must accelerate it.

We all have a responsibility to end injustice together. Let’s continue on that journey, to engage with each other and with the greater community.

With respect and support,
San Diego Zoo Global