I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the recent tragic death of George Floyd. His death has spurred a national, if not global, movement unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime. For me, as a Black man in America, dealing with the pernicious effects of anti-Black racism has been a part of my daily life. Believe me, it is real and it is debilitating. Since my high school days at Kingswood-Oxford in Connecticut, I have fought for equal rights and social justice. I am fortunate that my role as partner and chief diversity professional at a global law firm affords me the opportunity to continue to fight the good fight.

As a father of two Black teenage sons who I have taught that with hard work, dedication and a “failure is never an option” mentality that there are no limits to what they can achieve, recent events have caused them, understandably, to question whether or not these teachings remain true. So, in addition to having “The Talk” with them about how to interact with law enforcement in order to avoid tragic or fatal outcomes, I have to continually encourage them to reach for their goals despite the daunting challenges they will face simply because of their skin color. These are difficult, but necessary conversations.

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