As entrepreneurs and founders, we are familiar with change. We have forged change to disrupt industries, redefine the future of work, and build new compasses to steer the world in new directions. Recent events highlight the pressing need to not only prioritize this mindset, but to galvanize this mindset into action – to bring forth a better world, a better system, and a better way of life so that we do not continue to lead with complicity and complacency in systems that uphold systemic racism and racial injustice for Black people. 

We have a lot of work to do. And while the entrepreneurial mindset encourages inclusivity and diversity, we must recognize that encouragement is not the same as opportunity; and this gap – between idea and action – is too often where Black people suffer. It does not go unnoticed that we are only now taking steps to address this. We acknowledge this and are actively working to do better. 

As a leader, I am taking the pledge to create more mentoring opportunities for Black entrepreneurs. I hope to leverage my position and privilege to share access, opportunity, and resources to build Black businesses and to amplify Black voices. To do this, I am committing to: 

• Mentoring BIPOC entrepreneurs and small business owners through Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) mentoring program
• Working with Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) to create an Equality board position
• Offering my time to mentor BIPOC entrepreneurs and small business owners in 1:1 conversations

As part of ChalkDust and as consultants, I encourage you – as individuals and as a collective – to reflect on ways to be actively anti-racist in your personal and professional lives. This requires reflection. This requires change. This requires work. But as entrepreneurs we welcome this with open arms. A few resources to get started:    

Readings 

Revolution Reading List by Rachel E. Cargle

An Anti-Racist Reading List by Ibram X. Kendi

Podcasts 

Code Switch by NPR

About Race by Renni Eddo Lodge

Supporting Black Business 

Support Black Owned Businesses Resources for Change via The Cadence Project

Organizations

Support Black People - Comprehensive Donation / Organizations To Help List

Activism

An Ongoing List of Ways to Join the Anti-Racist Fight by Another Mag, June 1, 2020 

While these are by no means exhaustive lists, it is a start. As we move forward, I encourage open communication, learning, and resource-sharing between our team and beyond, so that we hold ourselves accountable and bring forth a better world together.