It’s Our Responsibility to Show Up and Be Better

We are in a critical moment. This outcry for action stems from a movement for racial equality and justice that has spanned generations, and our silence and inaction have fueled the discriminatory flames of oppression for too long. 

I do not want my voice to be centered in this conversation on racial injustice, because I have seen how quickly the words and messages from white people are shared over the lived experiences of Black people. I am sharing the actions we are taking today, and those that we are committing to for the future, as a call out to those still on the sidelines. Any action taken will not be enough until we live in a just world where all people are guaranteed equal rights, but we will get there faster if we do it together.

It’s important that this unrest doesn’t become just another moment in time. It's time for businesses like Eventbrite to move from episodic outrage to fighting injustice every, single day. We condemn systematic racism today and tomorrow and for the entirety of our business’ existence.

The path forward to create lasting change in our society will take time and intention, but here are seven commitments we feel will help us build a better company:

1. We commit to hiring and promoting underrepresented minorities in our highest ranks - at the board level, estaff, and leadership groups.
2. We commit to educating ourselves and seeking out resources that will help us better understand the issues surrounding inequality, injustice, and racism. 
3. We commit to donating funds to help support the change we wish to see in the world now. Myself and Eventbrite have donated to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund as a start.
4. We commit to using our platform to speak out and speak up, amplifying the voices of the small business owners and creators who are the heart of our platform, many of whom are Black. We will also use our platform to help individuals donate to organizations fighting for racial equality, participate in protests or rallies, and educate themselves on systemic and learned racism through a special collection of online events. Eventbrite will be waiving ticket fees for all of these events to ensure 100% of proceeds go directly to creators. 
5. We commit to giving employees time away from their work to support advocacy efforts and take part in civic engagement activities. 
6. We commit to strengthening formal structures at the leadership level that will keep our leaders across the business accountable for driving change. 
7. We commit to talking less and listening more. We must give time and space to those whose voices have not been heard.

Our mission at Eventbrite is to bring the world together through live experiences. And, as I’ve been actively listening, I am reminded that it is our duty to show up and bring people together not only for the celebratory moments, but for the tough moments as well. I am thankful to those around me who continue to engage in the difficult conversations, ask the tough questions, and draw attention to the ways we can be better.

We owe this to our neighbors, our colleagues, our friends and family, and to so many other people across the globe we may never meet. We can do better at Eventbrite. We can do better as an industry. We can do better as humanity.