Happy Black History Month! There are so many incredible things about starting a company from scratch, and one of the many joys of the process for us has been creating a team culture that reflects our values.
In that vein, our team met earlier this month to discuss what it meant to authentically celebrate Black History Month. Before we zoomed in on concrete actions we could take in celebration we defined what authentic uplifting and amplifying meant for each member of our team. This will be an ongoing conversation for the life of our company, and will evolve as our team adds new people. It also gives us an opportunity to practice what we support you to do on Topknot — ask powerful questions, sit with uncertainty, acknowledge progress and growth, and honor your individual and our collective needs.
One theme that emerged was around the notion of being authentic — making space for something that is an expression of who we are now, what we care about, and who we’re trying to be as individuals and as a collective. Following that theme, this week in the newsletter we are highlighting some of the voices and people who have been with us from the beginning as advisors. We reached out to them for guidance on how they are taking care of and honoring themselves during Black History Month, or how they are showing up intentionally as allies, and we’re excited to share their words with you below.
Alysha E
This year I am honoring Black History Month by honoring my elders and ancestors. I am deepening my understanding of my own family, our stories, and our history. I am asking my 96 year old grandmother questions about her life and memories. I am also lifting the names of my own ancestors as heroes because they are. They deserve to be remembered.
Joy J
Most organizations I am a part of use this as a time to really lift up folks who have done amazing things and also those are doing them now on into the *future* that also happen to be Black. It’s a time to reflect but also to reset our minds on Black futurism, how far we’ve come but how amazing the road is ahead with this next generation of geniuses, of thinkers + doers + artists. It is a reminder of what a blessing it is to be young, gifted and Black.
Nadia S
Black History Month is a time for me to learn, reflect, and honor. This month I’ve been trying to read one thing every day that tells a story about someone that was left out of our history books. It’s also important to me to support Black owned businesses year around and I’ve made an extra attempt this month to make purchases supporting locally owned businesses.
Dolimer R
I am educating myself on local Black History in the US. I’ve supported my organization in coordinating a discussion with a representative with the Huey P Newton Foundation on the Black Panther Archives. I am also supporting Black owned business through my own purchases and references for friends and family seeking services. I have been intentional in ensuring my practices go beyond BHM through subscribing to weekly newsletters like Girl Trek’s Black History Bootcamp.
