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Letter from the Director
LETTER FROM THE
DIRECTOR
DEAR FRIENDS,
As everyone is acutely aware, we issue this report in a time of extreme disruption and turbulence. JWJI, like every other research institute, was affected by the pandemic and the racial disparities that exacerbated how communities of color experienced the pandemic. And though we will talk about this more in the next annual report, I cannot pretend that the fight for racial justice did not escalate shortly after the time period that is covered in this report. In short, life has happened and reminded everyone that the work that we do at JWJI addresses the most pertinent issues and contributes to the most relevant debates of our time.
Because of the pandemic, we have had to adjust how we do our work. However, the work has not changed, and our mission is all the more important. Questions of racial inequality and equitable prescriptions to society’s most pressing challenges are exigent and highlight the need to understand how perceptions of racial and intersectional differences have existential consequences. I mourn the fact that it took a deadly health crisis and viscerally literal displays of police violence against Black people to expand the national discussion. I am proud, though, that the ongoing work of JWJI places our fellows in a position where they are more than ready to help lead these discussions. We are grateful to be able to provide our varied audiences with critical information to help them make sense of their surroundings and to provide leadership in their communities as well.
It is our goal to continue to help lead important national discussions that amplify the voices of underrepresented groups, expose discrimination and its pernicious effects, and provide positive, equitable prescriptions for reducing racial inequality across multiple dimensions. We cannot do this important work without your help. We thank you for your ongoing support. As we submit this annual report, we ask for your continued engagement. We hope to see you at our events, and we welcome your financial and moral support. We thank you in advance for helping to advance our mission, and we look forward to continuing to interact with you in the coming year.
Sincerely,
