By Ross S. Stein and Volkan Sevilgen
Temblor was founded on the principle that everyone, everywhere, should be able to learn their seismic risk. For the safety and financial resilience of families, we aim to inspire people to reduce that risk. But in the mirror now held aloft, we, Temblor’s founders, see that the safety and resilience for many are at risk from the hand of those charged to protect us.
In a large U.S. earthquake, many communities where Black and other minorities live will suffer the greatest damage, and the police will be among the first responders. In a time of crisis no one should carry the added burden of being fearful of those who are sworn to protect them. To fulfill our mission, we want our platform to elevate communities that have been mistreated for centuries — both in the U.S. and around the world.
We as a country have arrived at this moment of grief and rage because for too long, we have done too little, said too little, and accepted too much. There have been too many deaths, imprisonments, and injustices. We at Temblor want to do our part to help right these wrongs.
Today is Juneteenth. One-hundred and fifty-five years after slavery officially ended, but only 25 days after the senseless death of George Floyd – one of many Black people who have been killed by police brutality, racial profiling, and misconduct. This day also arrives in the midst of a global pandemic that has disproportionately damaged the health and incomes of Black people.
The Temblor team is committed to help make this a turning point: We will listen to voices of the aggrieved, and we will lend our hands in building justice. We will continue to educate ourselves about slavery, racism and civil rights. We will strive to create an even more diverse team of people who know they are respected and valued. We will work harder to ensure the topics we cover, the scientists we interview, and the writers we engage reflect inclusivity and diversity. And we will continue to work to make life-saving information freely accessible and understandable, particularly in disadvantaged communities. As American citizens, members of the Bay Area community, and as cofounders of Temblor, we stand with Black Lives Matter, and we stand with Anti-Racism.