Anti-Racism Action Plan
It has become clear to us over the past few weeks that it is not enough to be quietly ‘not racist.’ The place of silence and ease we existed in for so long, is in fact a place of harm. Our commitment is to break that silence and be vocally anti-racist. We are publicly committing to doing the work to become an anti-oppressive business. We seek to use our power and influence to fight against white supremacy, systemic inequity and racism. The following are the steps that we, as a company, are committing to immediately. This list is by no means exhaustive or complete. It is a start, a place for us to begin with small but actionable steps. This action plan is an organic, ever evolving document that will grow and change as we continue to learn and unlearn.
Below is a list of the actions we have taken this week as well as those we will implement going forward:
- We have made monetary donations to the Black Mental Health Matters Fund, Women’s Health in Women’s Hands, the Black Health Alliance and The Most Nurtured and will continue to include organizations supporting Black mental health in our corporate giving strategy going forward.
- We will be retaining an expert to provide anti-bias training to all team members within the next three months.
- We will actively seek out Black-owned brands to add to our product assortment and set a target to carry a minimum of 15% Black-owned brands, authors and makers.
- We will divest from brands that do not align with our anti-racist values and commitments (this week we have become aware of racist conduct on the part of two brands we previously carried. These products have been pulled from our shelves).
- We will seek out trade shows, sales agencies and distributors that ensure equitable representation in the brands and businesses they represent.
- We will continue to speak out against racism and amplify Black voices through our social media.
- We will expand our book selection to include more titles addressing systemic racism (including books on race and racism for children).
We know this list is just the beginning. We know there is much discomfort, much learning and even more unlearning ahead of us. We are #hereforthefeelings and we are ready to get to work.
