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The harm caused by the racially motivated attacks at the Dollar General in Jacksonville, FL, on Saturday, August 26, 2023, extends beyond the immediate victims, creating a ripple effect of fear and trauma throughout the Black community. These attacks, rooted in the toxic soil of white supremacy, have instilled a pervasive sense of insecurity, undermining people’s freedom to live without fear. From the emotional toll on the victims and their families to the negative impacts on mental health across the community, the consequences are far-reaching and profound. This is not just about physical violence; it’s about the inherent right to live with dignity, to enjoy the same freedoms and securities as everyone else.  It’s no surprise that these horrific events persist, given the climate created by ineffectual and toxic politicians who embolden those with weak convictions. This political environment, steeped in divisive rhetoric and thinly veiled racism, serves as fertile ground for the seeds of hatred and intolerance. Such leaders not only fail to condemn these racially motivated attacks, but their inflammatory speeches and policies often fan the flames of bigotry, giving tacit approval to those who wish to act on their worst impulses. The disturbing rise in these attacks is a stark reminder that political discourse can have real, tangible consequences, especially when it is laced with white supremacy. It underscores the critical need for leaders who will take a stand against racism and advocate for the safety and rights of all community members. Despite the grim realities, we are not powerless in the face of these racially motivated attacks. Each of us, individually and collectively, has the potential to effect meaningful change. It begins with our personal attitudes, with challenging our unconscious biases and educating ourselves about the experiences and struggles of those who are different from us. It extends to our actions, from the conversations we have with family and friends to the way we vote and the causes we support, as well as our demands for action – demands that our representatives enact policies that address institutional racism and promote equality and justice. We need to raise our voices, rally, protest, and let it be known that we will not tolerate racism in any form. Change is possible, but it requires that each of us take responsibility and actively work to dismantle the structures of white supremacy that underpin our society. My heart goes out to the families who have been impacted by these senseless acts of violence. I am deeply frustrated and saddened that this is the daily reality for Black communities, living in constant fear and uncertainty, wondering if they could be the next victims of these racially motivated attacks. This is not the kind of society that any of us should accept. This violence is a harsh reminder of the urgency that exists to dismantle the structures of white supremacy and to actively work toward a society where race is no longer a determiner of safety, opportunity, or justice. The time to act is now – for justice, for equality, and for the health of our communities and our democracy.

This country has never had equitable and inclusive structures, and colorblindness has never been a thing. The national identity built into our structures, laws, practices, and lived experiences is white supremacist. Race and skin color have always had consequences in this country. Affirmative action was introduced because racist systems and discriminatory practices had for centuries denied Black people and people of color access to socioeconomic opportunities. Through various legislative initiatives, affirmative action assured Black people and other people of color that they would have the same education and employment opportunities as their white counterparts. Institutions were incentivized to achieve racial equity and representation in classrooms, student bodies, and workplaces, giving them good reason to move away from white supremacy. For nearly six decades, education systems and the labor force have shown us the promise and the possibility of dismantling our white supremacist system. The reality is that affirmative action is no silver bullet. It has its limitations, like the fact that many of its initiatives are inequitable and disproportionately realized, often only benefiting white people and deepening inequality; but affirmative action has also been an important tool in raising awareness about and addressing issues of equity in educational and labor systems. The dismantling of affirmative action is a massive setback in our efforts to create an equitable future. Arguing to ignore the category of race is a form of white supremacy, and it has historically been used to deny racial equity in all aspects of life. We must recognize and address systemic racism and its consequences. We must work together to build a society where race and skin color really doesn’t matter to your educational and job prospects. Until then, we need interventions like affirmative action. Dismantling it, only serves to reinforce a colorblind society rooted in white supremacy. Black people and other people of color will be worse off because of this. In her dissenting speech, Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued that this decision “rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.” We cannot allow this roll back. I want to move forward, toward a future where we make decisions that allow all people to live with dignity, not back to a past of discord and violence. Dr. Kerry Mitchell BrownCultural Architect and Equity Strategist

Edward Blum, the conservative lawyer who led the fight to overturn affirmative action, has a new target in his quest to dismantle civil rights advancements: The Fearless Fund, a venture capitalist (VC) fund dedicated to leveling the playing field for Black women and women of color.  Blum’s organization, American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), filed a lawsuit against The Fearless Fund’s Fearless Strivers Grant Contest, which planned to award four $20k grants to WOC-led businesses. The lawsuit claimed the grant violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866, prohibiting racial discrimination in contracts. The conservative 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled in favor of Blum and placed a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking Fearless Fund’s grant contest.  The grant provides $80k of funding, a microscopic percentage of the $240 billion dollars of VC funding in 2022. Why target such a small grant for WOC entrepreneurs? Because they want to halt Black advancement. Lawsuits against The Fearless Fund, and other educational and economic diversity initiatives, aim to repress Black economic advancement and maintain white hegemonic power structures.  A major critique of the Fearless Fund, and other similar diversity initiative, rallies around false claims of favoritism for diverse candidates. However, the objective realities facing Black women in the corporate sector deviate from favoritism.  Approximately 17% of Black women start a new business, compared to 10% of white women and 15% of white men. However, only 3% of black women run mature businesses. A lack of access to capital largely accounts for the discrepancy. Statistics back that up. Between 2009 and 2017, Black women founders received .0006% of VC funding, and in 2022 less than 1% of funding.  A conservative retort is that traditional firms do not offer funding for white men. They may not explicitly say that – but their actions show a different story. In 2022, 93% of VC funding went to businesses owned by white men. If favoritism was a true concern, where are the efforts to address the disproportionate VC funding granted to white men?  Increasing Black women’s access to capital is not favoritism, but rather course correction, addressing years of systemic exclusion to financial services.  The Fearless Fund offers Black women an avenue of funding that is not offered by most VC firms. Destabilizing diversity organizations, while simultaneously not actively trying to make traditional venture capital firms more inclusive isn’t removing racial bias – it’s perpetuating it. Closing one door of funding, without attempts to open another, keeps Black women permanently locked out.  Conservative organizations are targeting The Fearless Fund because it’s a model of a small Black owned company making gigantic waves in a field stacked against them. Bigger companies, like Goldman Sachs have made initiatives to help Black woman entrepreneurs, yet they are not the ire of these lawsuits. And we have to know whether they are living up to their promise. Organizations like The Fearless Fund started on a much smaller scale meaning their model and actions are able to be replicated and tracked. Efforts to block the Fearless Fund and other initiatives that are responsive to the needs of Black female founders and the Black community overall, are designed to ensure Black economic advancement does not persist.  The Fearless Fund launched in 2019 yet has already invested nearly $27 million in 40 WOC-owned businesses along with awarding almost $4 million in grants.  They represent companies making huge strides. For example, Fearless Fund led a $3 million funding round and inked a major partnership deal between Thirteen Lune, a beauty e-commerce platform, and retail giant JC Penney, which has a large customer base of POC.  Fearless Fund shows the magic Black female entrepreneurs can create when given unfiltered access to opportunities. Empowering Black women in corporate spaces is a great thing for the ever diversifying global and local economy. It’s estimated that racism has cost the U.S. $16 trillion. By investing in initiatives that foster racial equity, businesses can also benefit from increased customer loyalty, and higher profit margins, and make a positive impact on society. Blum and other anti-diversity crusaders understand that if not restricted, more funding avenues means that Black women entrepreneurs will continue to thrive and take up more space in the corporate sector and global markets.  Another insidious aspect of these lawsuits is they force companies to engage in litigation. Forcing them to shuttle resources like time, attention, and money from their mission to fighting lawsuits.  This could potentially leave organizations with less resources to further their mission, diminishing impact, and supporting Black entrepreneurs. This can also invoke fear in other organizations, that if they try and help Black entrepreneurs they will be at risk for expensive litigation. If more organizations hesitate to fight for economic equity, that will translate to less work being done to increase access for Black entrepreneurs which will reverse much Black economic progress.  Blum and company know the power of Black community, and collaboration, and creating our own proverbial tables to achieving equity. That’s why the Fearless Fund is under attack. It’s important that we stay alert. But we also must not turn all our attention and resources to just being on the defense against anti-equity lawsuits. We must remain focused on our message. We must maintain our commitment to helping increase access to capital for Black entrepreneurs and levy the playing field. Kerry Mitchell Brown, Ph.D., MBA Equity Strategist & Principal, KMB Kerry Mitchell Brown, Ph.D., MBA