PACE

| Pace. • Today, I spoke at a global disability inclusion event for my firm. They shared my piece on @refinery29, and I’m sure I blushed a bit. As each moment comes and goes, and I no longer run from purpose, I lean into the voice that is uniquely mine. I don’t know if I’ve said here how nervous I feel every time I speak in front of a large audience. My speech impediment will never go away, my Cerebral Palsy isn’t leaving either. These stories, I tell. These stories I paint.

Today is MLK Day, the streets are closed, windows boarded, and it is a scary time, as it has been, to be Black in America. Inclusion matters, awareness is not optional. Stories evoke change, so let’s do this.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Does your company have the range? Are you doing more than marketing? Are you putting money toward learning and ensuring that people are seen, heard, and valued? Are you willing to change when it’s not convenient? Are you listening?

Stories evoke change, so let’s do this.