Dear Kosterina Family,
We have a problem of systemic racism in America. For me, it has been watching this crisis through the lens of parenthood that has struck me the most. I don’t think I fully realized the burden that my fellow parents need to bear when they are parenting Black children.
Each night in our house, we sit at the edge of our childrens’ beds and ask them to repeat back short mantras that remind them that they are strong, that they are loved and that they are safe. So when I saw this video (please watch at least the first 15 seconds), it brought me to tears. The night time mantra in this Black household is very different, where a father has his 8 year old daughter recite “I am Ariel Skye Williams. I am 8 years old. I am unarmed and I have nothing that will hurt you.” Black parents should not have to spend time thinking about how to keep their young kids safe in interactions with the police.
Being a parent is stressful enough without the added fear of not knowing if your child will return home safely because of hate. I have read several accounts of grown men who text their mothers daily just to let them know they are alive. And so when George Floyd called out for his mother who had passed away 2 years ago, I hope that every mother heard him because we must all take action.
Here is what we will do at Kosterina.
- We know that communities of color have a more difficult time accessing healthy foods, which in turn leads to long-term health issues. At Kosterina, our mission is to educate people on the importance of healthy eating and inspire them to see food as medicine. So, we will be partnering with nonprofits focused on nutritional education in schools to provide them with Kosterina EVOO in their school nutrition programs. We are still searching for the right partner(s), but I will ensure that we will work with organizations that create deep impact in Black communities.
- We are still a very small company but I will commit to always interviewing a diverse slate of candidates for every open role and we will aim for fair representation of Black executives on our team at Kosterina.
