2020 has been a huge year of change. At the beginning, I thought it would just be a huge year of change for me. If you don’t know me well, in 2019 I decided to quit my job and start my own business this year (what timing.). I also decided to stay home with my kids part time- which turned into full time once COVID set in. Huge change is an understatement.
However, 2020 turned out to be a huge year of change for all of us. It has caused us to take a good look in the mirror at who we are, what we are doing, and figure out what change we want to see in the world moving forward. If you haven’t seen me on social media lately, it’s because I have taken the valuable time I might have spent scrolling the ‘gram and spent it doing some serious research and soul searching.
Racial tensions have always been present, but recent events have brought racism to the forefront of all our minds, reminding us that we each do not experience life in the same way and some of us are more privileged than others.
I know this has caused me to reflect on who I am as a person and what I stand for. I no longer think it is enough to be “not racist” but instead work towards being anti-racist. Over the past few months I have been devouring books and other content that has helped me learn more about black history and culture and what it means to be anti-racist. I have had conversations with my friends, family, and children about race. I have thought about what this means for my new business as well and feel its important to point out that I do not discriminate against any of my clients regardless of color, sexual orientation, culture and beyond. I stand for racial justice and equality for EVERYONE. My goal is not only to continue educating myself, but to put it into action.
When I started this business, I knew I wanted part of my proceeds to go to a cause I believed in. I have spend many days researching and attempting to find a good fit. There are SO MANY causes out there!! I simply cant decide, so I have made the decision to instead vary my donations as I see fit.
For my first part of this business journey I have selected Color of Change to receive 3% of my earnings through Responsive Nutrition for the remainder of 2020. Whenever someone purchases a client package or a program, 3% of that will now go to Color of Change, a racial justice organization that fights for racial justice at all angles; media, economic, criminal, political justice and more.
What can you do?
Has 2020 represented a huge change for you as well? Are you wondering how you can contribute? I am no expert when it comes to racial justice however, I give you some starting points and things to consider. Here are some suggestions to get started in no particular order:
- VOTE: There is a MAJOR election taking place this November. Make sure you are registered to vote!: check here: https://www.vote.org/ or here: https://www.rockthevote.org/. This link will not only help you identify if you are registered to vote, but can help you learn more about voting in your area. Don’t forget to do your research on the issues here: https://2020election.procon.org/
- DONATE: donate your time and/or money to causes that you care about. Find your cause here: https://greatnonprofits.org/
- DO THE WORK: boost your knowledge on racism. Again, I am not an expert by any means. I started with Ibram X. Kendi’s book: How to be an Anti-Racist and have moved on to So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo. Find more book suggestions here In addition, consider following black advocates on your favorite social media channels, listening to anti-racist podcasts on your favorite app, or attending classes or webinars related to the anti-racist work we have ahead of us.
- DO THE WORK PART TWO: Self-reflection. Don’t forget to reflect on what you are learning! What are your thoughts and tendencies about race, culture, color, and sexual orientation? Do you have any implicit bias? Learn more about yourself by taking an Implicit Bias Assessment. This helps you identify biases you may have yet may be unaware of. Knowing this can help you continue to do the work on yourself! How does what you read/watched/listened to differ from what you were taught? What can you personally do to be part of the change you see happening around you?
- DO THE WORK PART THREE:TALK ABOUT IT! have discussions with your friends and family, speak up when you hear injustices happening around you
While change can sometimes (always?) feel overwhelming, I hope 2020 is a huge year of change for you, too. Take the time you have now to reflect on who you are, what you are doing, and where you want to go!
