A Message From Our Black Employees
By: Martin's Black Employee Network (with introduction by Martin Agency CEO Kristen Cavallo and our Chief Client Officer Danny Robinson; illustration by Martin Art Director Ashley Bozeman, inspired by Mark Clennon's photography)
Two and a half years ago, we adopted an important mission to fight invisibility—invisibility with regard to gender identity, race, sexual orientation, ability, age and all other dimensions of diversity.
We’ve embraced the fight, fueled by two core beliefs:
- It must be safe to tell the truth.
- We need to root out divisiveness that could damage our culture.
We have made progress, but our bar is high.
We communicate to employees, new hires, and externally, that a key part of fighting invisibility is about Martin making a space for people to be their whole and honest selves, without fear.
Our Black community is telling us to understand. And we will. Our Black community is asking us to see. And we will. Our Black community is telling us to act. And we will. The world is asking us to speak. And we will earn that right. But first, we must listen.
Our Black Employee Network penned this note to our staff. What they shared was unfiltered and unedited—imploring us to think and act with more perspective, fire and intent.
We are listening.
A Message From The Black Employee Network At The Martin Agency
Again, we are reminded that this is not a new world.
This is the same world it has always been; a world where black and brown people are invisible, and our trauma is relegated to “isolated incidents.”
A world of us are tired, now.
Have been tired.
Remain tired.
Tired of talking about this.
Tired of violence.
Tired of burying our brothers and sisters.
Tired of doing the work.
We deserve the right to jog.
We deserve the right to birdwatch.
We deserve the right to exist in our own homes.
We deserve the right to live without fear of death.
We can no longer continue doing the work for you.
We are doing our own work, of mourning. Of healing.
To The Martin Agency—
Show us that “We fight invisibility” is the truth.
We can no longer accept “I cannot see” as an excuse.
Media and technology have made sure that is no longer an option.
For black and brown people, “I cannot see” becomes “I cannot breathe.”
It becomes “I cannot win.”
It becomes “I do not matter.”
It is not enough to say in “safe” circles that you denounce racism.
Fighting invisibility is not safe.
Make a choice to no longer look away.
Force yourself out of the dark.
Choose to see this world for what it is.
Push yourself beyond discomfort.
Push yourself the way black and brown people push themselves to choose life, every day, against all odds.
Educate yourself on the issues. Face the violence we face.
Listen with everything you have in you. Hear a black person when they share. Invest.
Make space for grace and love for the black people in your life. Mourn with them.
And do everything in your power—EVERYTHING—to stand against evil.
Fighting invisibility is not safe.
It is choosing to stand, to face the shadows of racism, anti-blackness and violence—and to be a light in the darkness.
Choose to stand.
Otherwise, invisibility wins.
Otherwise, you do not see us.
Over the past two weeks we have been centering the wellbeing of our Black employees, reassessing current policies and offerings while pulling together a comprehensive plan to better gauge our current progress in this space—and the work that needs to be done to be a place where Black talent can thrive.
This plan will be informed by our Black employees, subject matter experts, community organizers and the call for change recently sent out industry-wide by Black advertising agency professionals.
We want to hear and see from you, too. If you’re itching to know something or have a question or comment we can start a dialogue on—send an email to: katie.walley-wiegert@martinagency.com.
