June 1, 2020

CNO Associates,

With this note, I break a rule I have followed throughout my career: never mix my personal emotions with my professional obligations. In this instance, my conscience compels me to proceed differently.

There are two reasons these sentiments are so personal and my need to write is so compelling. First, like other people of color, I have experienced firsthand racism and prejudice. Second, we raised our family in Minneapolis and my children consider it their hometown.

Like so many of you, I am brokenhearted by what I have seen in recent weeks.  The senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others, leave us outraged and in pain. That some of the deaths occurred at the hands of police—whom we expect to protect us—is all the more heartbreaking. This grief and anger is echoed in communities across the world, including cities that CNO calls home.

As I reflected on my own experiences and my allegiance to the Minneapolis community, I could not reconcile the brutality I saw George Floyd endure and the ensuing riots. I thought my own experiences allowed me to truly understand bigotry and systemic oppression. They did not.

I was raised in a household that reveres Mahatma Gandhi. I was raised to believe that “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” I was raised to read many of Dr. Martin Luther King’s writings. I thought I understood.

But, this weekend I reread an excerpt from a speech Dr. King gave in 1967 that made me realize I did not understand enough:

“But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? ... It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality and humanity.”

As I reflected on Dr. King’s above words, I saw in a different light the brutal slayings of George Floyd and others. Dr. King’s words made me think differently about the ensuing riots.

To be clear, my commitment to non-violence remains firm. I condemn violence in all its forms. It will never be the right answer. It has been wrong when used to oppress people and it will be wrong in overturning that very oppression.

But, the events of recent weeks and Dr. King’s words forced me to confront two very personal realities:

I do not really understand systemic discrimination and oppression; and

I could not condemn the riots and violence until I first sought a deeper understanding of their underlying cause.

I share the above because some of you may be wrestling with these same perspectives.

The data is incontrovertible: our Black/African American brothers and sisters do not enjoy the same treatment, healthcare and access to justice as the rest of us.  They are systematically treated differently than many of their white—and brown—counterparts. And the recent injustices come to this community when they are already suffering disproportionately from COVID-19.

Like many other Americans, I had heard references to “the talk” that Black/African American parents must have with their adolescent sons. But I am ashamed to admit that it was not until this weekend that I realized how pervasive and palpable those fears are for the parents of our Black young men. How could such a talk be necessary for every young Black man in America? But that’s the point: it is necessary in America and most of us cannot relate.

Our business exists to help and protect others. It’s what we do every day. Of course, we stand together in support of our colleagues and customers who are Black, African American and people of color. It is incumbent on us to use our voice to condemn injustice and use our platform to stand against racism, bias and discrimination. But there must be more.

Our actions must continue within our own company. We must focus on how we will keep working to achieve our goal to make CNO a workplace where diversity and inclusion are facts, not just ideals. CNO leaders are engaging with our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Council and S.O.U.L., our African American/Black Business Resource Group (BRG), on what more the CNO community can do together.

So what is it I ask of you? Three things:

Help our colleagues. Many of our Black/African American colleagues shared that they often live with fear every day. The regular tasks of daily life– driving a car, walking in a park, going to a restaurant – come with worry for their safety and that of their loved ones. In this time of difficulty, share your compassion and understanding with your colleagues. Reach out to your teammates to see how they are feeling. Ask if you can support them and listen openly.

Engage within CNO. Through our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) commitment, we’re deeply dedicated to a CNO culture where the diversity of our associates, customers, vendors and partners is respected and valued. We draw our strength from our diversity. It is important that we not only condemn the injustice and discrimination, but also reaffirm our commitment to investing in our D&I focus throughout 2020 and beyond. Join us. Get involved.

Seek to understand and change the deeper causes in our communities. Some of you may be tempted to allow the recent violence to overshadow the concerns of Black Americans. Yes, the violence and riots are wrong. But, understand why they occur. Remember what Dr. King teaches us. Our society must join together—just as we have joined together to fight this pandemic—to change a system that oppresses and discriminates. We must make change and give real voice to Black Americans. Each of us must engage in our local communities to change the system.

The tragedy of the recent pandemic has shown us that we know how to come together. We know how to support one another. Let us resolve to use the force of that recent example to come together here too.

Yes, some days it feels too dark to see the glorious mountaintop Dr. King wished for. But alongside the grief and anger, there is the bright light of humanity and hope for a more just future. We must—and can—change.

Stay safe and take care of one another.

God bless,

Gary C. Bhojwani

CEO
CNO Financial Group