Message From Our CEO Kristen Holt

Hello Everyone, 

Today, as I prepare to talk to the GreenPath team about the horrible murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police and the current events happening, I feel sick and angry, and so sad right now.  

I can only imagine how much fear, anger, sadness and all other feelings this brings up for our Black and Brown team members, for all Black and Brown people, and for all of us at Greenpath.  

I want GreenPath to be a place where each of us can show up each day, be our whole self, and do our best work.  I can’t imagine how our Black and Brown team members are waking up right now ready to do that, knowing how unfair this country is to you and your family members, so often, and for so long.  Such injustice, and it needs to stop.  I, and the entire leadership team, stand in solidarity, with our Black and Brown team members. We need to rise up together against this ongoing injustice. Consider this communication as a first step in that process and support.  I want to provide more resources and get more ideas on how we can support our Black and Brown team members, and how we can take visible action and lean in on improving racial equity in our organization and our country. 

I also encourage anyone at any level to take time and space this coming week as needed for self-care, mental health, or related purposes.  We have set up confidential 1-hour group listening sessions for this week.  These sessions are designed to be group grief sessions to help promote safety and share how you feel.  I hope that these listening sessions will help with the healing process and help us begin to take a step forward together to create change. 

We will hold a companyTown Hall meeting next Thursday for the discussion and processing of these events, where you can share your ideas on how we can support you, our team, our Black and Brown team members, and our country. 

I talked at length this weekend to my two daughters, who are 14 and 10, about their white privilege, and how it’s not fair that they do not have to wake up in fear each morning, about what dangers they might face just because of the color of their skin.  How they have friends who do not have this same privilege, and they need to be part of the solution for our future.  And to do that, it starts with acknowledging the privilege they have and understanding the structural racism that so many have faced for so long.  That it is real, it really affects people, and we must find ways to create racial equity in our country.  

 These horrible deaths of Black men and women, at the hands of whites in power, have been going on for so long.  It is truly tragic that it takes more deaths and public outcry, and still there is no meaningful change.   

GreenPath holds a vision for everyone: remixing the American dream so that everyone can have the future they envision. These violations of the most basic human rights fly in the face of what we believe as an organization.  I’m proud to stand with all of you as we stay committed to our core values of putting all people first. 

In Solidarity,

Kristen Holt

Kristen Holt is president and CEO of GreenPath Financial Wellness based in Farmington Hills, Mich. GreenPath is a national nonprofit that supports lifelong financial wellness for everyone.