The uprising and demand for social justice in response to the brutal killing of Black people in the United States have created a reckoning, for our culture and our company. Here at Mad Fish Digital, we are recognizing that we must do more to support those who have been marginalized and oppressed by white supremacy. Enacting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) work goes beyond hiring and retaining Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous talent. As we seek to become an antiracist business, we have been looking inward first, at some of our traditional company norms. Finally, doing so has prompted valuable conversations with our team.

How We Chose Our Recognized Holidays

Firstly, these conversations have helped us identify areas where we can show our support for other cultures, people and histories. While we provide our staff with paid holidays for traditional anglo-Christian holidays and military days of recognition, our list is far from inclusive. To widen our acknowledgement, we have decided to add three new paid holidays that will be formally observed starting in 2021. Our staff will be encouraged to take these days to familiarize themselves with other experiences and support organizations and programs holding special events. 

The Days We’re Recognizing

MLK Jr. quote caligraphyMartin Luther King Jr. Birthday
Date observed: third Monday of January 

MLK Day is a federal holiday to honor Dr. King and his achievements as an activist during the Civil Rights Movement. We will be taking this day to not only honor this influential man’s accomplishment, but also recognize the on-going movement toward a more antiracist nation. Of historical note, it took the US government fifteen years after his assassination to sign the holiday into law. In addition, many states resisted observing it until 2000. 

Indigenous People’s Day 

Date observed: second Monday in October

Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrates the Native American peoples and their diverse cultures. Our team will be honoring this day as a way to remember the history of our country. Recognizing the roles played by the people who lived here long before they arrived. Finally, it’s an opportunity to take accountability for the impact of colonization. The holiday is not yet a federal holiday but is official in many cities and states. 

Juneteenth 

Date observed: June 19 

Juneteenth honors June 19, 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas. Two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the news reached enslaved Black people. While this day has been recognized for years, the murder of George Floyd and violence this year highlighted it. The subsequent Black Lives Matter protests have highlighted the need to honor this moment in Black American’s history in a larger way. 

Going Beyond Recognition

In addition to these company-wide paid holidays, we have created a list of annual awareness programs. These honor the diverse perspectives of our community. Our JEDI program seeks to create an inclusive, open environment for Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous team members. Our marketing and social impact teams will be using our platform to lift up those groups and organizations. This is part of our efforts to create a better experience for our community. 

Want to learn more about our social impact work? Check out out community page and see how we as a Certified B Corporation and legal benefits organization are working to make work a better place.