Dear
UA Friends and Family,
These
are challenging times, and they are
becoming more so every day. In light of
recent events, Universal Audio will close
normal operations June 2 in observance of
"Blackout Tuesday."
We
do this in solidarity with our peers in
the music industry in recognition of those
hurting within the Black community. Put
simply, this is no time for
business as usual.
As
founder of Universal Audio, I recognize
that I have not suffered the abuse,
intolerance, and racism that so many
others have experienced for their entire
lives. So what can I do personally? What
should Universal Audio as a company do?
Observing
Blackout Tuesday is our first step. This
is a day to allow UA employees to reflect
on the racism and injustice affecting our
Black brothers and sisters worldwide. To
this end, we will be sharing articles,
hosting internal discussions, and
addressing how we can do our part to
promote justice and equality in
our communities.
We
struggled with whether or not to shut down
our online
store, but decided that a better
path would be to donate 100% of Tuesday's
online store proceeds to worthy
organizations including Equal Justice Initiative
and the NAACP
Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
While
UA is not an inherently "political"
company, I believe we all have a
responsibility to confront racism head-on,
working in big and small ways to further
equality and justice. We simply cannot
return to the status quo, when the status
quo is so clearly broken.
I
invite all who are able to take some time
tomorrow to think, reflect, and plan for a
more free and fair world. This can be a
significant opportunity for change, if we
all do our part.
In
the words of the late Robert Hunter,
“Ain’t no time to hate.”
Peace
and Sincerely,
Bill
Putnam Jr.
Universal Audio
