Are you doing the work?

Last week, I went on a hike with my friend Aurora James. You may have heard of her –– she’s the founder and creative director of the CFDA-award-winning fashion line Brother Vellies, and, most recently, the founder of the 15 Percent Pledge. 

I built and ran a fashion business for a long time, and I’ll admit that very few of the brands we stocked were Black-owned. The truth is this: while Black people make up 15% of the population, the number of brands represented on the shelves of major retailers is nowhere near that. That’s where the 15 Percent Pledge comes in.

I’ve lived the majority of my life with the tragic luxury of remaining mostly ignorant to the experience of Black people in America. This year, like many people, I’ve educated myself, found a lot of empathy, and done real work on how to be a better anti-racist ally. But the truth is, I’ll always live with a certain amount of ignorance. 

I’m not saying this to tell you it’s okay to be ignorant; I’m saying this to remind you that as non-Black people, it’s our job to educate ourselves, no matter how much we have to learn. And if that comes across as performative (hello, Black History Month-themed newsletter that you’re reading) or like you’re not doing enough, so be it. Do it until that isn’t how it looks or feels, and then keep doing it. Especially in the months outside of this one.

But enough about me...back to Aurora.

So, she told me about her audacious dream for the 15 Percent Pledge and, I’m not gonna lie, the first thing I told her was how hard this was going to be. Massive retailers are slow-moving legacy businesses that can be extremely slow to change. Not to mention they’re pretty much all run by old white men.  

Then, something incredible happened.

Brands (and I mean big brands: Gap, Sephora, Crate and Barrel, Nordstrom, and more) signed the 15 Percent Pledge. And more recently, Aurora and her team even created a job board to support diverse and equitable hiring.

I share this because Aurora did what many people (myself included) may have thought was impossible. And not only was it possible, but she did it in a mere six months. 

It’s equally important for non-Black people to know that the impossible is possible and real change is within reach –– even if at arm’s distance. Taking imperfect, messy action doesn’t just have to apply to business. It can also apply to simply showing up as a better anti-racist ally every single day.

This Black History Month, and every month, I challenge you to create a change in your life to better support the Black people around you. Whether that’s setting up a recurring donation to an organization that supports the Black community, replacing a monthly purchase with one owned by a Black-owned business, or simply educating yourself on what Black communities experience, every little bit counts. (And if you need some ideas for where to get started, check out my friend Tori Bell’s newsletter and Instagram, Inclusion Unpacked.)

Wheels up,

Sophia

PS: Head on over to my Instagram to tag Black-owned brands you think should be stocked by major retailers, and head on over to the 15 Percent Pledge account to tag those retailers into action.