This morning, Union President Tim McDermott shared a statement with the club’s staff that included a diversity and inclusion action plan. Additionally, the entire Union organization gathered for an extended discussion led by Widener University’s Chief Diversity Officer, Micki Davis, about the history behind Juneteenth and the legacy of racism and slavery in the United States. Following that discussion, staff engaged with the details of the club’s action plan and how the Culture, Awareness, Race, and Ethnicity resource team will ensure that this becomes the foundation of broader cultural growth within the Union organization, the sport of soccer, and our country as a whole.
To my Philadelphia Union Family,
Our country is in pain and it is heartbreaking to see countless lives lost at the hands of racism. Now is the time to show respect for our differences and value the many cultures that mold our country. Even though we are not physically together, we remain one family with voices from many different backgrounds. Learning about other cultures helps us celebrate our differences through compassion, love and understanding. Our strength as an organization lies within our differences, so we must always show each other our highest level of respect.
Keystone Sports and Entertainment LLC strongly stands against racism in the workplace, in our community and in our country. As an organization, we will focus our resources on bringing meaningful change both internally and externally. I also challenge each of us, as individuals, to reflect on how we can be part of that change by promoting acceptance and tolerance.
I want to share with all of you how our company will improve diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by helping to fight for racial justice and equality:
- On Friday, June 19, we will celebrate Juneteenth, a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. We will designate this day for education, reflection, and action. To that end, Friday morning Michelle Davis, Chief Diversity Officer at Widener University, will be speaking about Juneteenth and issues surrounding racial and social justice. In the future, June 19th will also be a day of community service.
- I am personally making the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge and I encourage you all to make an individual pledge HERE. However, it is not enough to only pledge individually to demonstrate inclusiveness. We must collectively enforce it and eliminate any cases of discrimination.
- Establishing a Culture, Awareness, Race and Ethnicity resource team (The CARE Team) to promote cultural awareness, professional development, support, and visibility for diversity, equity and inclusion. This resource group will bring together employees from all levels of our organization to advise me and my leadership team on how we can be advocates both internally and externally.
- Promoting strategic diversity outreach during the recruitment process to encourage diversity hiring. Our organization will focus on the importance of building a strong, diverse team, including demographic diversity, skill set variety, and experience.
- Implementing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training program for all employees to increase awareness and provide tools for recognizing and addressing bias and discrimination in the workplace. We will be sharing more on this in the coming weeks.
- Investing in Chester High School students by funding annual scholarships and forming an internship and mentorship program with the Philadelphia Union.
This is a time for us to come together in solidarity to ensure every one of us feels accepted and safe. We may not have all the answers, but we will be part of the solution.
Thank you,
Tim McDermott
Union President
