Independent American ad agency Wieden+Kennedy has removed its usual agency website information and instead issued a powerful statement around the Black Lives Matter movement.
The message is a response to the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were killed by police one day after the other. Sterling was shot in the chest and back outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La. on Tuesday. Castile was shot Wednesday in his car in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. His girlfriend live streamed his death on Facebook, the officer fatally shot Castile after he reached for his wallet during a traffic stop.
The statement has been present since last Thursday, it was posted hours before five officers were killed and 12 officers injured during a protest in Dallas, it reads:
Why your black co-worker seems especially bitter today…
Why your black co-worker seems especially sad today…
Why your black co-worker seems especially quiet today…
We are processing.
We are asking ourselves what to do.
We are hurt because it feels like watching our own selves get gunned down.
We are telling ourselves, “do not let this make you live in fear. do not let this make you hate.”
But we’re scared for our lives, our family’s lives, our friend’s lives.
We’re mad that the protests aren’t working. Why the video recordings aren’t working.
We’re conflicted, in a place between crippling empathy contempt at a world that seems not to care enough.
We are disgusted at police but telling ourselves, “you can’t hate all police.”
We are wondering the point of a moment of silence.
We are wondering if we ourselves will make it back home today.
We are wondering what to do, what to do, what to do.
Just an FYI, not for sympathy. Just acknowledging this because it should be acknowledged.
