Truly hearing our Asian American/Pacific Islander colleagues.
Last week, more than 200 of our colleagues attended Listening Circles to reflect on the thousands of attacks against Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) during the past year and the recent violence in Atlanta. I was one of those who attended.
I must say, I was moved.
Moved—and saddened—by the bigotry and hatred in today’s world. But most of all, moved by our colleagues who displayed tremendous vulnerability as they shared their personal experiences of fear, animosity and persecution.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you—to those who shared their stories and to those who listened—for your commitment to learning, growing and making us better. Uniting us as One Thrivent.
I want to assure you that I not only listened to your stories and experiences, I truly heard you, and I stand with you.
The recent violence toward those of Asian descent and others in Atlanta, is sadly, just one instance in a long list of racially motivated attacks in our country. And every one of them is unacceptable.
We believe everyone should be able to live free of violence, intimidation and fear. Our Thrivent core values include doing what is right and living in service to one another, our clients and our communities.
In our Thrivent family, everyone matters, and we all belong. This is the guiding principle underlying our Diversity & Inclusion strategy. I want every member of our workforce to feel welcome to bring your full self to work every day. Building on the diverse strengths and perspectives of everyone makes us a stronger organization.
To my colleagues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and other marginalized racial groups: I commit to being an ally and advocate, now and in the future. I will continue to listen and learn, and I commit to holding leaders accountable for creating an equitable and inclusive environment.
I invite all of Thrivent to join me in listening, learning and taking constructive action.
Teresa Rasmussen
President and CEO