By Michael D. Colgan, CAE, PICPA CEO & Executive Director, and Reese C. Blair, CPA
PICPA Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board Chair

 In these incredibly difficult moments, we cannot be silent. The unjust killing of black people and people of color, like George Floyd and countless others, must stop. To all PICPA members, especially black members, colleagues, and friends, we see you, we hear you, we stand with you, and we are committed to making a difference.

Systemic racism has impeded access to the accounting profession for decades. The PICPA will continue working to dismantle those obstacles and build stronger, more inclusive pathways to becoming a CPA. Minorities represent less than 10% of CPAs and accountants. While many firms have tried to address this issue, not enough progress has been made. The accounting profession has much work ahead to create a diverse and inclusive environment. Systemic racism cannot be tackled by one or two individuals. We as a community must work on this together.

All of us have a responsibility to find solutions and heal the damage. We need to heal with open hearts, open minds, and open ears. We need to honestly talk and carefully listen to each other. We need more empathy. We need more compassion. We need to be kind and gentle with each other. We need to be allies to communities of color.

We need to do more.

The PICPA is committed to doing more – to being a resource for our members by being intentional about advocating for diversity in the accounting profession.

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
 
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

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