Turning Point: Sam Fiorello

From the President and CEO of Cortex 

The Cortex team is grieving with St. Louis and the country. We grieve the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, David McAtee, and all those killed before them. We grieve also for all those who have been thwarted in living their promise due to unjust and inequitable policies, practices, and beliefs. We grieve because we know that these underlying structures of racial inequity are systemic and deep-rooted, creating and upholding obstacles to success for Black people and all people of color. We see and feel the pain and anger in St. Louis and nationwide, and we believe that organizational silence in the face of these wrongs is irresponsible at best – complicit at worst. To the Black and African-American members of Cortex and the St. Louis region:  you belong here; we see you; we need you; and we must do better to welcome and support you. 

Shared grief and words of recognition are not a substitute for action. Cortex cannot change all the factors that led us to this particular point of grief and rage, but we have a responsibility to respond to the consequences of racial inequity in our work of entrepreneurship and innovation. Our goal has always been to build a community of talented, passionate people who build businesses, achieve economic stability, and thrive. Achieving equity in this work requires a network of programs, activities, and policies that work together to abolish systemic barriers to success in this country for people of color and people of all marginalized identities. We believe we have a duty to bridge that divide between ability and opportunity in our region. 

We see our role in bridging ability and opportunity as one of entrepreneur education and business support. Currently, these resources are provided by a team of partners including our ancestor organization, the affiliate Center for Emerging Technologies (CET), which is dedicated to supporting women and entrepreneurs of color in building businesses. However, we know that Cortex itself does not always feel like a safe or welcoming place for all in our region to live, work, learn, and play. We regret this – and we commit to action to correct it. Not just because it is right to do so, but because it is critical to the wellbeing of our whole region. St. Louis is stronger and better when all of us can achieve our greatest ability. 

Although we have not yet been fully successful in communicating this and making it real:  Cortex belongs to all of us. We commit ourselves to listen, learn, and change to better serve this community. 

Here are our pledges to action in this catalytic moment: 

  • We will continue developing and refining our vision and related commitments, for building a community and an organization that is accessible, inclusive, and dynamic. We will continue to do the internal work of becoming an inclusive and anti-racist institution. 

  • We recognize that we must be more transparent in these efforts:  clear about our undertakings, open to input from our partners and neighbors, and responsive to our community. We commit to regularly updating our website and communications – at least on a quarterly basis – with progress toward, and additions to, the goals listed in our vision statement. 

  • We commit to being open and responsive to the St. Louis community. We commit to listening. You can reach us on social media, through email, and (when we are no longer physically distancing) at our events including town halls, tours, and gatherings. We invite you to ask questions about our work, to help hold us accountable, to challenge us to do better, and to share your stories and experiences with our organization and our district. 

Sam Fiorello, President & CEO 

Hank Webber, Chair of the Board of Directors 

 

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