Pledge Partners
Organizations and Statements
Angela Baker – Founder, Angel In Disguise Inc.
My statement for the inclusion pledge is:
“I commit to always be a voice for the Black community so we can have a seat at ALL tables.
As an advocate, I will always stand up and use my voice and will not be silenced.
Angel in Disguise, Inc
The Chrysalis Initiative
Statement about commitment:
My commitment to the Inclusion Pledge is motivated by my desire as a black woman living with metastatic breast cancer to see my sons grow up and grow old with my husband.
Action you will take as an advocate:
As an advocate, I will continue to share my story and use my influence to help ensure that solutions are developed to address the contributing factors in breast cancer disparities.
Jamil Rivers
Systemic Racism
“Systemic racism contributes to health disparities. FORCE stands in solidarity with Black people and Black communities who, in addition to fighting hereditary cancer, continue to live with the daily reality of racial injustice and violence. We are proud to sign on to Tigerlily Foundation’s inclusion pledge and continue to work together with all our partners to improve health equity and health outcomes.” – Sue Friedman, DVM, Executive Director, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
GRASP
“Itis incumbent upon us all, especially those of us whose privilege is built on the oppression of others, to share the burden of ending health disparities and inequities for black and brown communities that are disproportionately impacted by cancer. As white women living with cancer who have a voice in advocacy with the scientific community, and the private and public sectors, we pledge to ONLY involve ourselves in initiatives that also include the black voice and other people of color.” – Julia Maues and Christine Hodgdon, Co-Founders, GRASP
The National Breast Center Foundation
“The National Breast Center Foundation has always been committed to providing access for all women to screening and treatment for breast cancer. We stand with Tigerlily and other organizations in rising up against disparities in care based on skin color.” – Martha Carucci, Executive Director, National Breast Center Foundation
Living Beyond Breast Cancer
“Living Beyond Breast Cancer is proud to support the Tigerlily Foundation in its Diversity and Inclusion pledge and in partnering on additional actions and activities that address the challenges of racism in our systems and communities. We see directly, the impact of racism in breast cancer, where black women are 40% more likely to die of their disease than white women, and yet again today with the uneven distribution of disease burden in COVID-19. We share Tigerlily’s long-term commitment to bringing about needed change and commend our partner on its past and current leadership on health disparities. We are eager to get back to work with renewed passion and commitment”– Jean Sachs, CEO, Living Beyond Breast Cancer.
Breast Cancer.org
“Tigerlily’s Inclusion Pledge is an important catalyst for change. Breastcancer.org wholeheartedly believes in promoting health equity and working to eliminate disparities for black women. Skin color should never be a barrier to receiving the best breast cancer information, care, and resources. The unity across organizations will ensure that women of color are represented, and we will all come together to dismantle systemic racism. Breastcancer.org is honored to join with other advocacy partners to firmly uphold the principles of the pledge.” – Hope Wohl, CEO, Breastcancer.org
Metavivor
“METAvivor fully supports the recent movement by the #BlackLivesMatter protesters. We stand resolute with our black patients, supporters, family, friends, and allies. This week, in lieu of our typical content, and in support of #BlackLivesMatter, METAvivor believes strongly that it is essential for us to share important information and resources about organizations dedicated to the specific challenges women and men of color with metastatic breast cancer are facing. While our mission will always be funding the latest, cutting-edge metastatic breast cancer research, we also have a strong commitment to social justice, while promoting inclusion and equity for people of color, specifically within the breast cancer community. There is systemic racial discrimination, especially in the health care system and it is evidenced by national statistics that support racial disparities in metastatic breast cancer. METAvivor commits to signing and fully supporting the Tigerlily Foundation Inclusion Pledge; adding inclusion of people of color in leadership positions within METAvivor including adding two people of color to our Board of Directors and creating a new liaison to the black metastatic breast cancer patient community; creating programming specially targeted to metastatic women and men of color; seeking funding to provide educational conferences for metastatic women and men of color; and funding research that addresses racial disparities in metastatic breast cancer medical treatment.” – Sonya Negley, Executive Director, Metavivor
Kula for Karma
Kula for Karma is an amazing organization that provides access to wellness (yoga, meditation, stress Mgmt) for those in recovery, going through cancer, depression, etc, who ordinarily might not have that option. Hoping that their support opens up even more doors for Tigerlily’s message and healthy equity for black women!
Patient Power
“We are fully committed to collaborate with Tigerlily and other like organizations to forward our shared vision of eliminating healthcare system disparities that exist for people of color. In all we do, the patient comes first, and we will continue to raise the patient voice in this regard.” – Esther Schorr, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Patient Power
AnaOno
“As an advocate and business owner in the breast cancer community, I know exactly how important it is that different voices and diagnosis are shared. There is not one singular voice to breast cancer because cancer does not discriminate. AnaOno has taken the pledge to not only drive awareness and education to our Black and African American communities members that are dying at disproportionate rates in comparison to their white counterparts, but are also diagnosed younger and with more aggressive cancers. We must close this gap, and we can help by sharing the lives of those that are afflicted by this disease in our marketing, our events, and conferences. When you see someone that looks like you, you can imagine it being you.” – Dana Donofree, Founder, AnaOno
Unity World Headquarters
“There is tremendous pain, suffering, and injustice that must be accounted for. We find ourselves in the midst of seeming chaos everywhere we look. While in the throes of the largest pandemic in a century, we are now seeing unprecedented nationwide unrest. These are not small issues we are trying to navigate. We are taking on the safety, health, and well-being of our families, friends, and loved ones, while at the same time exposing and overturning centuries of bias, privilege, and racism that have long been screaming to be acknowledged and addressed. We need profound change that preserves and protects the human rights of every individual in this country.
In the midst of so much divisiveness at every turn, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. There is tremendous pain, suffering, and injustice that must be accounted for. My message today is to tell you that wherever you are in the midst of this-we see you. We feel you. We hear you. We are listening so that we may understand deeply what troubles you and how Unity can be a source of comfort, education, and inspiration as we walk together and forge a new path forward, ushering in the great change that is so desperately needed right now. Our commitment and calling at Unity to help and serve have never been more steadfast or strong.
Though we may not have all of the answers, we are working as hard as we can:
- To provide a platform for the voices of change to be heard.
- To create a safe container that is steeped in spiritual principle.
- To listen deeply, grieve, pray, connect with empathy, have dialogue, share information, and lift the consciousness and the conversation.
May our prayers and our dialogue be transformed into spiritual right action so that we create long-lasting and meaningful change.
This is our commitment to you. We stand with you in Unity.
Jim Blake, CEO
Unity World Headquarters
