No Place for Hate: A Letter to the Well Woven Community

In this moment of heartbreaking injustice, we stand together with and share support for our Black employees, customers, and communities. 

We all have a sense of responsibility to support and address systemic inequities in our communities and beyond. Setting aside the “business mindset” for a moment, this type of work is what we need to do at a human level to have a lasting impact. 

The horrific murder of George Floyd is the latest manifestation of racism that exists in our society and systems. Still, this experience and the many others like it are not new to Black Americans. It is up to every single individual now to support and lead the change for a better future. I am personally heartbroken for George Floyd and his family. We can not let this happen again. Addressing the systemic racism that exists within the country is a no small feat, one that I think we can agree will take time. It is a marathon, not a sprint. This can only be achieved through sustained, consistent actions that bring about lasting change on the social, legislative, and personal level.

I want Well Woven to be a part of that ongoing solution. As of this week, we have set up a task force to begin acting on local and industry levels through community grassroots efforts including mentorship programs for underserved high school and college students interested in careers in the textiles and design industries. We plan to have more concrete steps to announce later this summer.

Well Woven is proud to be a racially diverse organization built by the sons and daughters of immigrants. This moment in time is essential for us as an organization to not only support change but also make a lasting impact. We support a future where equality is not just an idea, but a reality.

While we cannot truly know this pain, we will continue to listen to those that do. We will amplify Black voices, organizations and communities who are working towards the greater fight of equality and justice. We will work towards a lasting change. In the coming weeks, we will detail here the specific ways that Well Woven as a company will stand against systemic oppression and injustice.

With Love,

Adem Ogunc, Well Woven CEO