Emmett Till. Breonna Taylor. Trayvon Martin. Ahmaud Arbery. George Floyd. And the list goes on. My heart is sad. I keep crying and I have been crying new tears and old. I feel frozen. What we are experiencing collectively as humans in 2020, modern-day life is horrendous.  As a mother, I sympathize with the deep confusion and frustration that children must face.

They are obligated to process and alter the outrageous behavior exhibited by the adults who surround them. Currently, collectively, we have all been forced to stay home, be still, become more compassionate, and more mindful of how we navigate through life.  

What has transpired recently is new for some and repetitious for all of us? What happened is despicable and unfathomable. It is extremely toxic and a deadly virus that requires to be eradicated immediately once and for all on many levels. Where is our vaccine? While I know and fully understand how easy it is for our hearts to harden, we must remain in divine love, prayers, faith, and hope.  We all have a part. We are not puppets. We must be smart and do smart. We all have a responsibility.  We must unite together. We must teach each other. We must accept each other. We must communicate together. We must socialize together. We must support each other. We must uplift each other. We must be patient with each other. We must be kind to one another. We must be human to each other.  We must offer equality for all.

We must do our part beyond posting a blackout post, writing supportive letters, using the hashtag Black Lives Matter, and temporarily supporting black brands and black small businesses. While it is a start, it cannot be the end. Respect us always. Respect yourselves. Include us always. Include yourselves. Be authentic in your support. Positive actions must be carried out to see valuable change. I have faith and hope that as we sit in this global shift and deal with much truth, we are going to come out of this holding pattern as we sit in this dark cloud and see, feel, and be the light. Let’s not give up. Thank you to the protestors for keeping your foot on the pedal. I am so proud to see you all shine globally, as well as standing up and revealing what is a true nécessité. We need collective support from around the world.

As a small black business owner and founder, inclusion has always been a part of the nécessité DNA; never an afterthought.  It was founded based on the lack of inclusion of diversity in the healthy lifestyle space.  Shame for those trying to change now, but I guess that is part of how we got to where we are today: the lack of being mindful, the lack of diversity, the lack of inclusion, and the lack of support by all.

Tips to help encourage change:

• Use your social equity to make a difference (and I do not mean social media)
• Stop hating on each other
• Know your neighbors (they may rightfully live there )
• Support Black/Brown Businesses (nécessité, restaurants, brands, designers, etc.…)
• Hire Black/Brown teachers (not only coaches)
• Hire Black/Brown employees and allow them to grow in your company
• Donate to Black/Brown Charities (see our philanthropy list on nécessité)
• Meet and socialize with Black/Brown people
• Expose your children to Black/Brown children and form those relationships
• Learn and Teach Black/Brown History (other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr./Rosa Parks, Gandhi)
• Learn& Support Black/Brown Universities
• Learn each other’s Culture
• Integrate yourself 
• Practice self-love
• Love Black people like you Love Black Music and Black Culture
• Do not use and abuse Black/Brown people and steal their/our Culture, be and do you
• Watch BECOMING on Netflix by Michelle Obama this weekend (with an open mind)
• Sit for 8 minutes and 46 seconds and think how can you protect, mentor and educate a life, any life

“A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.” -Gandhi

 Much love, health, safety, and mindfulness,

Erica Reid, Founder of nécessité