While COVID$-19$ has dominated our lives this year, recent events have raised everyone's focus on the systemic issues associated with race in the United States. Persons across a broad spectrum of demographics are engaging in difficult$/$sometimes uncomfortable, but critically important, dialog on racism, discrimination, biases, and differences of experience around how our various communities function. In response to the rallies and protests triggered by the death of George Floyd, my colleague Dr$.$ Terry Esper recently penned a commentary for DC Velocity magazine challenging the logistics$/$supply chain community to have a tough conversation around the safety of logistics professionals who work the "last mile." His commentary has motivated me to not only reflect personally on this issue, but to expand this dialog to our ML$3380$ class. Before starting this conversation, let's be sure to lay out some ground rules: $1)$ For the purposes of the ML$3380$ Logistics Management course, this conversation needs to focus on supply chain$/$logistics issues. In particular, the focus should be on the broad issue of ensuring the safety of "ast mile" logistics employees. This could involve many issues, including the role of race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation of a logistics employee. While there will be many forums$/$opportunities to discuss these topics, the goal of this discussion is to focus on the logistics$/$supply chain connections. $2)$ As has been the case in all of our Packback discussions, it is my expectation that we will keep our interactions thought$-$provoking, insightful, and safe for everyone! It is important to be kind, curious, fearless, creative and open to new ideas. $3)$ Your posts should be based on credible research and demonstrate depth of reflection. Any inappropriate posts will be removed either by Packback or myself Before starting this conversation, let's be sure to lay out some ground rules: $1)$ For the purposes of the ML$3380$ Logistics Management course, this conversation needs to focus on supply chain$/$logistics issues. In particular, the focus should be on the broad issue of ensuring the safety of "last mile" logistics employees. This could involve many issues, including the role of race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation of a logistics employee. While there will be many forums$/$opportunities to discuss these topics, the goal of this discussion is to focus on the logistics$/$supply chain connections $2)$ As has been the case in all of our Packback discussions, it is my expectation that we will keep our interactions thought$-$provoking, insightful, and safe for everyone! It is important to be kind, curious, fearless, creative and open to new ideas. $3)$ Your posts should be based on credible research and demonstrate depth of reflection. Any inappropriate posts will be removed either by Packback or myself. As a starting point for our discussion, Dr$.$ Esper provides multiple examples of black men being singled out as they were doing their job as "last mile" logistics employees. Dr$.$ Esper asserts, and I would strongly agree, that these incidents go beyond simple misunderstandings. As he states, "What I know for sure is that these situations represent the oft unspoken fears and concerns that many Black men shoulder when navigating neighborhoods to make deliveries." I would push you to reflect on this statement and what it means for those logistics workers. Have you experienced or seen similar types of situations? Driven by consumer reaction to COVID$-19,$ we are seeing a pronounced shift to online retail purchases of food and products. While this move to online purchasing already existed, the pandemic has increased the speed of this shift. As such, we will Driven by consumer reaction to COVID$-19,$ we are seeing a pronounced shift to online retail purchases of food and products. While this move to online purchasing already existed, the pandemic has increased the speed of this shift. As such, we will increasingly see the potential for delivery$-$related confrontations involving "last mile" logistics employees and in particular, African American drivers. In a related piece published in Supply Chain Quarterly, Dr$.$ Esper expanded on the topic and provided some suggestions for addressing the issue. Take a look here: https:$//$www$.$supplychainquarterly.com$/$articles$/3552-$combatting$-$black$-$ driver$-$racism$-$and$-$harassment Dr$.$ Esper's commentary also references previous discussions about the role of women in the logistics$/$supply chain community. The discussion of gender in the logistics$/$supply chain community has been going on for several years. The AWESOME $($https:$//$www$.$awesomeleaders.org$/)$ organization has worked to shine a spotlight on the role of women leadership in the logistics$/$supply chain community. In addition, one of my former thesis students recently looked at the challenges of the LGBTQ community in the truck driving industry. Thus, the issue of last mile" employee safety extends across many contexts