Kalen Nicole

Last Summer, several of my go-to blogs for fashion, news, commentary, inspiration, learning, and community were called out for being racist and inequitable organizations. This was not completely shocking news, as racism and inequity underscore much of American life, especially in the realm of things marketed towards girls and women, as the focus on women creates an avenue for socially acceptable intersectional oppression. (gross)

After being called-out publicly by current and past Black employees, these blogs lost much for their public credibility. I too had lost much of my regard for them. As the words of past and current employees emerged, much of the inclusionary visuals of the blogs had been a façade; a dupe of inclusivity to cover up the organizations’ internal marginalization and tokenization of Black women taking place behind the publishing scenes.

Façades don’t last forever. They only conceal, hide, and push to the back things that are considered undesirable. As history has shown, discrimination cannot be concealed forever. And though I’m often tired by the continued fight for a more inclusive and equitable society, I am motivated and refreshed in the knowing that we are closer to winning the fight than ever before.

Anyway, when the truth was made known, the leaders behind the blogs and websites made apologies and renewed diversity commitments; some of which were considered performative by current employees and the public. I’m not going to name the blogs that were called-out, but you likely know them anyway. As a consumer and Black woman, I was disappointed the learn of the experiences of current and past employees and review timelines and incidences of unfair and biased treatment. I continued to read some of the blogs out of habit and desire to connect to the familiar whilst social distancing, but the content wasn’t hitting the same. Posts became more bland, and sometimes more scarce, and one website shut-down all together.

I shared the news with my mom, boyfriend, and cousin; and the two latter suggest I start my own website. These conversations happened around last June, and now it’s February , but all is well.

So I come here in respect, in sincerity, and for a fourth time- to recommit to consistency- I’m ready to blog. I sorely long for the stories I want to read. Websites don’t seem to cater to my experience and expectations, and the magazines I used to hold dear no longer offer printed editions.

And so I am here to express myself, my experiences in the world, my interests, and hopes, what I find interesting, upsetting, etc. I’ll even use these a place to compile some of the good reads and takes that I see around the web.

I was watching Issa Rae’s Masterclass yesterday and she was saying if you don’t see the stories you want to see write them yourself. And so I start, again, but this time for real.