For those who don’t know me, my name is Dr. Christian A. Friend and I am the Chief Impact Officer at Heartland Alliance. I began work here in September of 2020 and I have the privilege of leading our Research and Policy team.
We have seen some turbulent and trying times in 2020 and the first part of 2021. We are all working to make our way through a deadly global pandemic. At the same time, our nation’s eyes have been opened further to the epidemics of police brutality and systemic injustice that are the hallmarks of white supremacy. While these have been challenging times, I am thankful to be a part of an organization that rises to meet these challenges.
I wanted to take this opportunity to be clear and steadfast in saying that at Heartland Alliance:
- We denounce white supremacy in all its forms;
- We uphold a commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization;
- We do what it takes to advance equity and opportunity for all through our programs, policy, and systems change work; and
- We work hand-in-hand with our participants to build a more just world.
I invite you to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter to read examples of how we are currently doing this work. Thank you all for your support as we continue our efforts to provide equity and opportunity for all.
