Woof. Hey.
Welcome to my little corner of the internet. You haven’t heard from me much recently. Here’s why:
The scale of things going on in the world around us has been huge over the past couple weeks- it’s exhausting and overwhelming, at times exciting. Because, fuck, is it time for change.
But I’m struggling to think of what value I can actually add.
I grew up in Dallas, Texas. A lot of you can probably understand the connotation of that.
In junior high school, even the teachers and principals called the “black side” of our cafeteria “Africa.”
I’ve been called a “snicker licker” for dating a black man (who treated me better than any other “man” I had been with previously). I was also told I caught “jungle fever” during that relationship.
My husband has been asked many times if it’s “like a hotdog down a hallway” because I “came back” after “going black.”
My good friend wore a confederate flag shirt to a school dance.
And no, I didn’t speak up.
And yes, I have a hundred more stories like this.
Look, as someone who is always “empathy first,” I've been struggling. Reliving these moments and digesting and working through the racism that I've seen and accepted is unspeakably hard.
But in reality, I have only been an observer of the pain and racism I’ve encountered. I’m not the actual target, am I?
So instead of preaching my stories, I’ve been trying to amplify other voices in my communities.
I’ve taken some time to focus on educating myself and being part of the solution, for once.
So yeah. Things are intense right now. My focus has been so divided, and I imagine yours has been as well. So I'm just going to share a couple things this week.
Last week, I interviewed Kunle Campbell on eComm Noms. I wanted a candid conversation about the issue of inequality in eCommerce.
Because it’s easy to think we’re immune; to think this community is nothing but accepting.
We cannot afford to settle for “easy” anymore.
To date, I’ve recorded well over 80 podcast interviews, but this was the most powerful and enlightening conversation I’ve ever had. And I think it’s a great call to action for all of us.
You can give it a listen here.
On top of all of this, my own personal life has gone through some pretty huge shifts recently. I’m happy to say that, even in the midst of a really difficult year, I do have some exciting news!
In a few short weeks, I’ll be joining Shopify’s Retail team with a big focus on content and community- yakno, what gets me out of bed everyday.
This is really a dream come true, but I won’t get too sappy today. You can read my whole Twitter announcement here.
I genuinely hope you’re hanging in there. It’s been a lot.
As always, I’m floored by the support and ACTION of the eComm community, even (especially?) in the middle of a pandemic.
If you’re new to my newsletter, or just need a smile today, here’s a GIF of Finn doing a chin. He heals me every time.
Hang tight. I really believe we’ll get through this together and come out better. I’m hopeful for a brighter world on the other side.
-KDLafrance