Enterprise Bancorp : Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 15, 2021 Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Share

On January 18, our nation unites to celebrate the life and legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose powerful legacy and message of love and unity ring true more today than ever in our nation.

Dr. King understood that injustice is a problem not only for those who are oppressed, but for all people, saying, 'No one is free until we are all free.' His trailblazing activism and soaring vision for a just America focused on ensuring that we all stand together against systemic oppression.

If we want to truly honor his legacy today, we must strive to finish his work.

As we continue to struggle with the racism, discrimination, inequality, and injustice that has long stained our country's history, we can and must do better. I am proud of the culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that we have created here at Enterprise Bank. Our company was founded on the core principles of fairness, equality, respect, inclusion, and love. We understand that our responsibility is turning those principles into action and that we need to do more and we ourselves, can be better every day.

In February of last year, we announced the creation of Enterprise Bank's Inclusion Council to celebrate and promote awareness of personal identity in the workplace, identify equity gaps in order to help resolve them, and strengthen everyone's sense of belonging within our Enterprise Bank family. The Inclusion Council is committed to helping influence and impact positive change towards social justice and inclusivity within the communities we serve.

Enterprise Bank and our Inclusion Council have taken a leadership role in presenting The Series on Racial Equity and Inclusion, a community series with the goal to create a safe space to promote constructive engagement and broaden our perspectives, in partnership with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, Lowell Development & Financial Corporation, Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce, The Lowell Plan, Lawrence Partnership, Essex County Community Foundation, Non-Profit Alliance of Greater Lowell, and The Theodore Edson Parker Foundation. We invite you to learn more about the series, including takeaways from the first two parts, 'Exploration and Awareness' and 'How to Cultivate an Inclusion Mindset.'

My hope is that each one of us and all of us-as individuals, families, businesses, communities, and a nation-can honor Dr. King's legacy by working together to overcome a history of injustice toward a brighter and more equitable future for all.

'I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.' ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Prize acceptance speech. December 10, 1964

Jack Clancy,

CEO, Enterprise Bank