The Black community has been suffering and reaching out for justice, understanding and opportunity. And we've been listening … and learning. After careful introspection, the Board and staff of Peach Bowl, Inc. feels compelled to add our voice to the cries for change, to do what we can to help affect positive change.
We emotionally ache for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others, as well as each of their families, and the entire Black community. Their deaths were senseless and horrific and nothing like this can ever happen again.
The fight against systemic racism has been going on for generations, but our society still endures bias, hatred, ignorance and oppression. There is now an opportunity for change, a chance for growth, a path to improve, inspire and include.
Since 1968 our success at Peach Bowl, Inc. has been built by a group of diverse contributors, none more important than the Black administrators, coaches, student-athletes, fans, business partners, volunteers, staff and board members. We have always valued and treasured those relationships from across the country and here in Atlanta.
While we see racial diversity on our own Board and in our own staff and volunteer corps, we know we can do more. While we support students and families of the Black community in Atlanta Public Schools with educational programs, we know we can do more. While we have made it our mission to become college football's most charitable bowl game and be a leader in our community, we know we can do more.
WE must do more, WE can do more, and WE will do more so that ALL of US are better.
In order to affect actual change going forward, Peach Bowl, Inc. will invest in the future of Black students by earmarking scholarships generated by our $7.4 million Endowed Scholarship Program across 33 universities throughout the country to Black students from Georgia high schools.
Our hope is that out of this we will all start to listen to one another, learn from one another, love one another and live together.
In the words of the great Atlantan and Civil Rights Leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "The time is right to do what is right."
