Black Lives Matter
Gibbs Law Group LLP (“GLG”) pledges our support for the Black Lives Matter movement. We stand with the protestors here in Oakland and across the country. We pledge to work toward a more equitable society. We believe that by working together, we can make a difference and can help end systemic racism.
We are heartbroken and angered by the shootings and deaths of unarmed Black people at the hands of police officers. We join the voices in our society that continue to call for structural change to help end racial injustice. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, Sean Reed Laquan McDonald, Tony McDade, Elijah McClain, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Ahmaud Arbery, Tanisha Anderson, Rekia Boyd, Miriam Carey, Michelle Cusseaux, Shelly Frey, Freddie Gray, and Tony Robinson are just a handful of the many who have died tragically, violently, and unnecessarily. GLG stands united with those who seek justice for these crimes and who support changes in our laws to help prevent them from continuing.
We are hopeful that this time will be different because so many in the community have decided to stand against systemic violence against people of color in the United States, but the recent shooting of Jacob Blake is a stark reminder that so much work remains to be done. We recognize that hope is not enough and that being true allies means taking action to end these injustices and actively promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Some of the actions we have taken or are planning to take as a firm include creating a task force within our firm to promote diversity in recruitment and hiring; planning a 21-day racial equity habit-building challenge within our firm; developing opportunities for our lawyers and staff to contribute to voting rights protection work; investigating opportunities to support legal responses to police violence; and committing $15,000 in matching funds to support the Alameda County Bar Association virtual food drive (donate here).
In addition, we identify below anti-racist organizations and resources that we’ve found to be helpful in this ongoing effort. We also welcome conversations about how we, as a firm, can work with you to have a positive influence on our society and move us toward a more just and equitable future. We encourage you to join us in committing to buy from Black-owned businesses, donate to Black organizations, sign petitions, and call your elected officials.
GLG is committing as a law firm to support political, social, and economic equity in this country. We recognize and applaud our staff and attorneys who are involved in this work outside of the firm, and we individually and collectively pledge to use our time, energy, and skills as lawyers to fight for equality and against racism. We recognize that the task is long and arduous, but we are optimistic that if we can each do something to make the society more just, we can help make it better and fairer for all.
List of Resources and Anti-Racist Organizations
Support Black-Owned Businesses:
Bay Area Organization of Black Owned Businesses Directory
Berkeleyside: Black-Owned Eateries and Berkeley and Oakland Open for Takeout
Black-Owned Businesses in San Francisco
Soleil Ho’s directory of Black-owned restaurants, pop-ups and caterers in the Bay Area
Anti-Racist Organizations:
Bay Area Anti-Repression Committee Bail Fund
Flying Over Walls/SF Chapter Black & Pink
Law Enforcement Accountability Network
National Lawyers Guild – San Francisco
We’re In This Together
Pushing for change, starting with ourselves.
At Gibbs Law Group, we’re committed to diversity, inclusion, and racial justice in everything we do. We believe that upholding these values is not only right but necessary to provide the best representation to our clients. Our commitment to equity starts within our firm and extends to our community and the work we do. We seek to create a culture where our employees feel comfortable bringing their full selves to work. We celebrate diverse voices and believe that many of the greatest ideas come from a mix of minds and backgrounds.
To support our goal of advancing equity both inside and outside our firm, we’ve created the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force. The task force is working to promote diversity among our employees, the clients we represent, and the causes we support. It’s our firm’s responsibility to take action to promote equity and inclusion for all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and religions.