I am not a writer. I have always been better at talking and listening than at organizing my thoughts on paper or on a screen. As a very small business, 

#NatSecGirlSquad’s shortcomings are a reflection of my own. As I struggle to process my own grief and exhaustion, I must remember that my silence equals #NatSecGirlSquad’s silence. I am sorry.

Last week I released a short statement in grief. It was unclear and seemed to place the onus for communication on Black people. That was not my intention and I take responsibility for my failure to be clear. Here is what I was trying to communicate:

Communities are not monolithic. I asked white and non-black people of color to check in with Black people in their life before supposing to act or speak in support of them specifically. I also aimed to call on non-Black people to respect boundaries and not assume we inherently know how Black people in our lives want to be supported by us on an individual level. Said another way, it is not the responsibility of Black people to educate us. It is also not the responsibility of all Black people to want or need be supported in the same way. A text or phone call may be welcome by one person and not by another. Ask before taking up space with someone.

I want to talk now about what #NatSecGirlSquad is doing. This is uncomfortable for me, because I do not think it is appropriate and makes me feel as if I am asking for us to be cheered on. However I recognize that by not sharing this information, we look as if we do not care or are not involved. I apologize.

I, and #NatSecGirlSquad, are in close contact with non-profit organizations that focus on supporting  Black people to offer whatever resources we can. In an effort to protect the confidentiality and other considerations that come along with the national security apparatus, we are prioritizing apolitical, non-partisan groups. In addition to proactive steps, we will support the Black community with a focus on impact not aesthetics or branding. We will fall short, because I will fall short. But we will keep trying to do better every day.

I have spent the last several days identifying specific commitments #NatSecGirlSquad can make and sustain going forward. This is not a finite list, but is a starting point, and I am hopeful for community input. I want to point out that while I am responsible for these commitments, they are my commitments as a business owner and learning leader. There is much more that I would like to do, but I wanted to be transparent about our financial capabilities and human capital bandwidth.

Further, I respectfully ask for space and privacy when it comes to my personal temporal and financial commitments, as I come from a non-majority culture that considers the public listing of giving to negate its value.

As of June 1, #NatSecGirlSquad will:

-continue to emphasize understanding and serving the PD needs of women of color especially black women. This work will be informed by anti-racist resources. We will continue to work with our community, and only solicit input and energy when we can pay for it.

-maintain partnerships with brands and businesses that are proactive and public in their commitments, and that these commitments are measurable and confirmable.

-continue to refrain from soliciting volunteer labor, especially from women of color, and committing to expanding our team only when we can provide a living wage w benefits

-Prioritize relationships with historically non-white academic institutions, especially HBCUs, education-focused groups, and academics of color especially Black women so we can support needs proactively and “on-demand”

-Commitment a minimum of 5% of quarterly revenue to seed and sustaining capital for women of color through funds like Backstage Capital

Thank you for pushing me to do better. I am sorry I let you down.

Maggie