We are halfway through the year and I can’t say that 2020 has looked anything like I thought it would. While the past few months have been anything but easy, they have offered me the incredible gift of a perspective shift regarding what truly matters.
Health is more important than ever, but good health is something that not all people have equal access to. We are in the middle of a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted Black and Latinx populations who have experienced more severe outcomes from Covid-19, showcasing deep disparities in our healthcare system.
We have also witnessed the heartbreaking death of George Floyd at the hands of the police. This tragedy has sparked nation-wide protests and conversations, and it has exposed how much work needs to be done to fight the dehumanizing and deadly impacts of systemic racism in our country.
Silence is the enemy and I feel it is important to speak up and clearly state:
Black Lives Matter. Black Bodies Matter. Black Health Matters.
My business’ mission has always been to support individuals in finding sustainable and actionable weight management strategies rooted in self-care and self-love in pursuit of living a healthy and whole life.
A whole life means feeling safe, accepted and seen as your authentic self, regardless of, but inclusive of one’s race, gender, abilities, body size, and sexuality.
While creating an inclusive environment has always been my desire, what I have realized over the past few weeks of listening and working to educate myself on the harm and depth of systemic racism has been this: wanting an inclusive environment goes beyond just thought and desire. It requires conscious learning, as well as unlearning. We all must work to uncover the behaviors, structures, and forces of systemic racism that we were raised with and our society was built upon.
My commitment is to continue the work to make Coaching by Jennifer a safe and anti-racist space. I stand with the Black community and the fight against racism and hope to continue to evolve as an ally to all BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). This is a role in which I take responsibility while recognizing that I will always have more conscious work to do.
As many of you have experienced from creating changes to your own health and lifestyle, if you want CHANGE you must move from intention to action which is why I have committed to the following actions as a person, a coach, and a business owner:
+ DOING THE INTERNAL WORK – I am investing in multiple trainings on diversity and inclusion led by people of color who are experts in their fields. I will continue to regularly engage with books, resources, and courses developed by people of color.
For a full list of resources which I intend to engage with in the coming six months, I have created an accountability list on my website. You can click here to see my progress. I hope you might also be interested in checking out some of these resources as well.
+ SHOWING UP FOR THE CONVERSATION – I will use my social media platform to speak out against racial injustice and I will work to engage, amplify, and support people of color instead of defaulting to silence.
+ REVIEWING ALL CBJ CONTENT + MATERIALS – Using the information gained from the training courses mentioned above, I will be reviewing the content of the CBJ curriculum, website, marketing materials and business systems to ensure inclusivity before the end of 2020.
+ PROMOTING EQUITY THROUGH INVOLVEMENT AND PROMOTION – As a business owner, I have choices when it comes to what brands I promote, what events I attend, and what organizations I support. I will be reviewing all my affiliations to ensure respect for all people.
I sincerely thank you for being part of my community and know that if you are interested in having a deeper conversations around this topic, or the resources I am engaging with, I am happy to do so, within and beyond our coaching sessions.
I am here for you and I hope for your continued safety and health during this time.
Coach Jennifer Anthony
