Visible Figures - Volume #12
SVP on the Distraction of Race and Gender, What We Do Next, and Group Yoga
I have three (3) Black women in my family who voted for Donald Trump. They were among the 10% of Black women voters (up from less than 2% in 2016) to do so. 😔
It seems like everyone I know is trying to make sense of what just happened.
My Take: I think we’re focusing too much on the actors and not the play; over-emphasizing factors like race and gender while under-emphasizing factors like religion, geography, and socioeconomics.
The past 4 years reek of generational trauma. Americans are tired, broke, lonely, angry, and consumed by fear. Fear of being left out, left behind, or let down by the American Dream they left home for.
"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
-James Baldwin
This is bigger than Trump and the Republican party. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is here. We, The West, are losing our grip. In America, a lot more jobs will disappear, a lot more workers will unionize, a lot more data centers will be built, and a lot more power will be consumed. Most leaders, liberal or conservative, public or private, Black or White, male or female, will fail to properly address the mental health decline, substance abuse, violence, and environmental damage that will inevitably ensue.
My Advice:
Step out of your binaries if they don’t align with your values.
Study the history of how we got here.
Care for yourself. Get a trainer/coach/therapist or join us if community helps.
What I’m Reading: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam - A bit outdated, but still relevant as Putnam does a thorough job of probing the complexities of America’s social capital decline.
What I’m Watching: Watch Martha on Netflix - When it comes to securing the bag 💰, Martha said “I Do” for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, til death…she will werk.
Love Always Wins,
Upcoming Events 🗓️
Walk-Ins Welcome (Virtual) Wed. 11.13 @ 5PM PT/8PM ET RSVP
What We Do Next: Solution-oriented discussion of how Visible Figures will move forward as a coalition of women leaders in tech, finance, and media to commandeer social and environmental impact innovation. RSVP
Group Yoga (Hybrid)
Washington, DC (Private) - Sat. 11.16 @ 9:30AM ET RSVP
Brooklyn, NY (Urban Asanas) - Sun. 11.17 @ 10AM ET RSVP
Novato, CA (Private) - Sat. 11.23 @ 9:30AM PT RSVP
Black women yogis in Black women spaces will guide us through 60-minute, multi-sensory classes incorporating movement, sound, and connectedness focused on healing, community, and vulnerability. All levels welcome. RSVP
Walk-Ins Welcome (Virtual) Wed. 11.20 @ 5PM PT/8PM ET RSVP
Navigating Fertility and Early Motherhood: Expert-led discussions on what to expect along different fertility journeys and early motherhood while starting, funding, or operating new businesses. RSVP
Group Spin (Hybrid)
College Park, MD (Posh Cycle): Sat. 12/14 @ 9:30AM ET RSVP
Oakland, CA (Ride Oakland): Sat. 12/14 @ 9:30AM PT RSVP
Brooklyn, NY (Spiked Wellness): Sun. 12/15 @ 10:30AM ET RSVP
Inglewood, CA (Burn Cycling): Sun. 12/15 @ 10:00AM PT RSVP
Black women spin instructors will guide us through 45-minute, multi-sensory spin classes incorporating afrobeats, reggae, soca, ampiano, hip-hop, R&B, and soul. All levels welcome. RSVP
Walk-Ins Welcome (Virtual) Wed. 12.18 @ 5PM PT/8PM ET RSVP
Preparing for Company Exit or Career Pivot: AMA and discussion with Black women founders and executives who have successfully exited their companies, started new companies, or navigated a major career pivot. RSVP
3rd Annual Winter Retreat 2025 (Members Only) Wed. 2.26 - Sat. 3.1.2025 @ RSVP by 12/15/2025
Keystone, CO. Alongside the Annual NBS Black Ski Summit, a 4-day, 3-night retreat in the beautiful mountains of the Colorado Rockies focused on rest, play, and connection to nature and community. See the last Winter Retreat 2024 Recap. Members Only. RSVP by 12/15/2024
A Number to Remember 👇🏾
The number of Black women in the Senate for the first time in US history. If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, go down the rabbit hole of Angela Alsobrooks (Maryland) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware). The only thing better than doing something historical is doing it with a sistah/friend. 💖