At Pond5, we stand against injustice and racism of any kind. We stand for creativity and innovation that fuel cultural and social change. Through our marketplace, we have sought to encourage and foster a creative space where artists can find inspiration to tell their stories, letting their art speak for the marginalized and even demand justice.
As people across the country and around the world continue to fight for equality and make their message heard, and those tough conversations have continued online and in our homes, we’ve been engaging in this dialogue with our team. Aside from addressing the challenges of unconscious bias internally, we want to find a way to lend our support in the fight against inequality, keeping in mind our belief in the power of creative expression. Our goal is to combine those beliefs with a focus on providing support to underrepresented communities.
With that vision in mind, on June 19th we will celebrate Juneteenth by donating 19% of our earnings on video sales to two incredible organizations – Black Girls Code and NBAF (National Black Arts). We will also be matching any donations Pond5 employees make to these organizations, and declaring June 19th as a paid company holiday. Through coding and arts programs provided by Black Girls Code and NBAF, we hope to see more black voices in tech, film, and the arts. We’re excited about the prospect of fostering a better future for the talented people in these programs and encouraging voices that will fight injustice with creative expression.
Donating is just one of the many things we can do, and we intend to continue the work. We will continue to educate ourselves to cultivate a more inclusive environment and use our voice to promote the good in the world. Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see our message communicated more broadly.
Be safe and be well, and thank you for supporting our donation effort on Juneteenth.