I am so over my hesitation to write to you that I could scream.

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I’ve written you a hundred times over the past two weeks — in my mind and in my journal.

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Yes. I can give you a list of things I’ve been doing about the racism in our country – coaching, presenting webinars, protesting, posting on social media, reading, processing, connecting, and taking courses.

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But I have been silent here and I apologize. I know that silence is deafening.

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I was behind on the news about the murder of George Floyd because the heartbreak and rage I was feeling about Coronavirus-19 conspiratory theories, Ahmaud Arbery and then Breonna Taylor was eating me alive. So I had been limiting myself on how much news and social media I allowed myself to consume. Yep, I know how privileged that sounds.

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And then I woke up and listened.

I’m sure you are not surprised where I come down on this issue as I have dedicated my Iife’s work to helping and supporting the vulnerable whether that’s folks with mental health issues, the elderly, neonates, children, hospitalized adults, the lgbtq+ community, or students.

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You can watch my Facebook live here for details about how I feel and the commitments I am taking to further the cause.

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In case you don’t have time to watch the video and are unclear about where I stand … I’ll clear it up here:

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I stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

To this end, I have taken a pledge to actively work toward making my business an anti-racist business and our nation a safe place for people of color. I am dedicating myself to this work for as long as it takes.

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Someone asked me if I am afraid that it will hurt my business if I tell you where I stand on this issue. I said, “hell no I’m not afraid”.

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Because the cost of not doing this work is black lives.

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How can that compare?

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You know how we’ve been told we shouldn’t talk about religion or politics? And somehow people extrapolate from this that we shouldn’t talk about race issues?

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Well, first of all, I call bullshit on not talking about religion or politics. Why? Because how do we grow and understand one another if we don’t talk about these important topics? How do we grow if we only talk about these topics in circles where we know everyone will agree with our viewpoint? Secondly, talking about racism is not a political issue – it’s a human issue.

 

And human issues, my friend, are issues we MUST speak up about.

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Like many others, I have been listening and learning. (And no, I don’t expect a cookie 🙂

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But I know that it can’t stop there. I know that being a consumer of knowledge is useless if that knowledge isn’t applied to using my white privilege to amplify the black voices who feel unseen and unheard.

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So now I am finally creating.

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Yes. It feels scary. Not because I am uncertain about where I stand but about exactly how to help.

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But as Ericka Hines said in the Small Business Reimagined Town Hall, “Be humble and ready to fumble. You will screw up. Expect that. When you catch yourself screwing up or someone calls it out. Apologize and change your behavior.” This brought me comfort and determination to move forward, even in my uncertainty. I hope it helps you to follow your convictions as well.

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Please know that I love you all. Stay tuned for resources about books, articles, videos, movies, and articles about maintaining your energy and elevating your resilience to equip you in sustaining the marathon on which we are all embarking.

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In solidarity,

Kelly