Apple pledges $100M to fight racial injustice
'Things must change, and Apple is committed to being a force for that change'
Apple is committing $100 million to help fight racial injustice, CEO Tim Cook announced Thursday.
The pledge comes as CEOs across multiple industries take strides to address racial inequality after the death of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who died in police custody, sparked demands for change from activists across the country.
"The unfinished work of racial justice and equality call us all to account. Things must change, and Apple's committed to being a force for that change," Cook wrote in a tweet with an accompanying video. "Today, I'm proud to announce Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, with a $100 million commitment."
Cook mentioned how growing up in Alabama during the civil rights movement demonstrated how the goodwill of others is the most effective way to create lasting change during times of hardship.
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"We're at an important moment in our history. A time when progress, which has been far too slow, feels suddenly poised to move forward in a great leap," Cook said in the video. "Things must change, and Apple is committed to being a force for that change."
The initiative will begin in the United States and expand globally over time; it will "challenge the systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exist for communities of color, and particularly for the black community, with a special focus on issues of education, economic equality and criminal justice reform," Cook said.
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Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, will lead the effort.
Apple will continue to work with historically black higher education, STEM programs and underserved students and teachers. It has also formed a partnership with Equal Justice Initiative, an Atlanta-based non-profit organization aimed at providing legal assistance to prisoners who may have been wrongly convicted, as part of its initiative, Cook said.