Gilead Sciences: Solidarity With Our Asian-American and Pacific Islander Employees
"We stand in solidarity with our Asian-American and Pacific Islander employees. The recent attacks in Atlanta and the Bay Area are deplorable, and we condemn racism of any kind." Read more from Chairman and CEO Daniel O’Day:
Message to our Employees on Violence Against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders
Daniel O’Day - March 18, 2021
To all employees,
This week we have seen more violent and shocking attacks against Asian-Americans, both in Atlanta and in the Bay Area. While the most recent attacks are still being investigated, they come at a time when violence and discrimination against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have been on the rise. This increase began around the beginning of the pandemic and has been particularly prevalent here in the United States.
I want to extend my support and sympathies to our AAPI employees and their families, who are dealing with the impact of this violence. These attacks are deplorable and heartbreaking, reminding us again of the racism that exists in our society.
As a company, we stand firmly against violence, racism and discrimination of any kind. We are also committed to action.
We have been in touch with a number of mayors in Los Angeles and in the Bay Area over the past weeks to call for action and discuss how we might work together to curb the rising violence against the AAPI community. In addition, we are supporting several organizations that are working to combat hate crimes.
Members of the Gilead Leadership Team will work closely with GAIN, the Gilead Asian Interest Network, to discuss how we can best support our AAPI employees at this time. More broadly, we can all play a part within our own Kite and Gilead communities by showing empathy to our AAPI coworkers and continuing to shape an environment where all individuals feel safe and included.
We as a company are passionately committed to working toward racial equity and social justice. These recent events are yet another reminder of the urgency we must put behind these efforts.
Dan
