A Statement from the RBFAA Board

The senseless killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black Americans at the hands of police and the ensuing demonstrations reflect the ongoing challenges the United States faces in addressing racism and systemic injustice. Individuals in the United States and around the world have lifted their voices in a cry for justice. Americans of all ages, and every color and faith, are protesting in every state across the country. In Germany over the past week thousands of demonstrators protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and at Alexanderplatz.

The RBFAA is adding our voices to worldwide calls for fairness, understanding, and justice. A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering shared understanding and dialogue lies at the core of the RBFAA’s mission. We stand in solidarity with the Black community, our friends, our colleagues, the Fellowship Alumni, and all who are confronting racism and injustice. We reaffirm our responsibility to advocate for peace, respect, and cultural understanding within our local communities and around the world.

The RBFAA remains committed to creating opportunities for our membership and others in the transatlantic community to enter into difficult conversations on important issues that impact our communities in the United States and in Germany. As a board, and with RBFAA membership input and support, we will continue to find ways to create inclusive and meaningful exchanges of ideas. We will also collaborate with other transatlantic organizations on these efforts, as these are not issues that affect the United States alone – they transcend international boundaries. Together, we can develop greater knowledge and awareness; strive to address the anger and pain felt by communities experiencing racism, bias, and other forms of injustice; and work toward systemic change.

We encourage each of you, as a leader and a Bosch Fellow, to explore how you can leverage your talents to bridge differences, foster understanding, and deepen empathy in your respective communities. As we personally and professionally strive to address racism and inequity, we should also remember that we can lean on each other to educate ourselves and to actively combat injustice whenever and wherever we see it. We hope that you will contact any member of the RBFAA Board with your ideas and suggestions as to how the RBFAA can support you, and how we can facilitate constructive dialogue at all levels during these trying times.

Gemeinsam sind wir stark – we are strong together.

Respectfully,

Rob Fenstermacher and Seth Oppenheim, RBFAA Co-Presidents
and the Board of the Robert Bosch Foundation Alumni Association