To our community,
With the killing of George Floyd, the longstanding racial injustices in our country have come to the surface yet again. It isn’t a new struggle, but a continued one. One that has been passed down with every generation. We wanted to let you, our community, know where we stand. And that is: with our Black brothers and sisters. Now is not the time to stand back and wait for incremental justice. Now is the time to demand change, practice true allyship, and put our money where our hearts are.
At KIM+ONO, our mission has always been to create an empowered, safe, uplifted space for women to shine like the queens they are. And our commitment to that mission includes:
- Donating to organizations that fight racial injustice
- Continuing to create images that honor the diversity of our country and de-center the white gaze
- Continuing to work with a diverse group of artists behind the scenes
- Addressing wellness topics across our journal posts that are important to Black women specifically
- Featuring Black-owned small businesses and brands that we love and/or carry in our brick and mortar kimono store
- Focusing on workshops and events in our kimono store that center Black women (once we’re able to fully re-open!)
- Educating ourselves on how to practice anti-racism and true allyship
- Looking inwardly to challenge any pattern that doesn’t align with our belief that every man and woman is created equal
KIM+ONO team has come together with you, our community, to put our money where our hearts are to say Black Lives Matter. We put out a call on our Instagram post for our followers to comment with a heart and we’d match each heart with a $1 donation to the NAACP. 175 of you added a heart and we’ve donated $250 to the NAACP on your behalf. Additionally, our small 10 person team has been discussing, reading, and actively working on our own company culture to not just be “not racist”, but actively anti-racist. While doing this work, we’ve collectively chosen the following groups to donate to:
Campaign Zero
Black Women’s Blueprint
Project Nia
These organizations help the fight against police brutality, empower Black women and girls, and work to end the incarceration of children and young adults. In total, KIM+ONO has donated $1000 to the organizations listed above.
In addition to the above steps, here are the resources we have started with to continue our own education:
We know that real change is an ongoing effort and practice. We will continue to do the personal work necessary for our community to feel fully supported on every level. Our mission has always been to make every woman feel beautiful, confident, and loved in her own skin, and we are more committed than ever to making that mission a reality. And we will do our part to help heal the racial injustices in this country so we can move forward together to guarantee liberty and justice for all.
X,
Renee & Tiffany
