To each Black Pure Romance Consultant,
When my mother, Patty Brisben, started Pure Romance in 1993, the mission was to educate, entertain, and empower all women. As time has passed, much has changed, but this mission hasn’t. Over the years, many women of all ethnicities have called Pure Romance home— many of whom are Black women. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of you at World Conferences, trainings, and other Pure Romance events. Time and time again, I have been moved and inspired by your tenacity and strength in a world that doesn’t always recognize your inherent worth.
The recent news of even more Black lives being unjustly cut short, and reduced to a hashtag at the hands of racism, is heartbreaking and infuriating. As a white man, it’s difficult to understand what it feels like to live in a country known for its freedom and opportunity, where people are still judged by the color of their skin. I will never understand your struggles or the daily oppression you face, but I can vow to educate myself and to stand beside you as a supportive ally. You see, I learned long ago that in this world it isn’t enough to be non-racist, you must be antiracist. It’s easy to struggle with what to say and to use my privilege to stay silent. But silence is complacent, and I vow not to be either.
To the Pure Romance Black Consultants—I am in awe. I am in complete awe of your strength and determination in the face of such deeply rooted injustice. I see you, I hear you, and I stand with you. I will speak to advocate for you, but I will also be silent and listen to you. This fight is not your fight alone. It’s a privilege to be your ally—one I won’t take for granted. I will proudly stand in solidarity with you and fight to change the systemic injustices you face each day. Furthermore, I will fight and work to amplify your voices—the voices that have worked to empower and educate so many others, time and time again.
Nothing changes if nothing changes, and justice only exists when it exists for all. I don’t take my responsibility lightly to educate myself and the white people around me. I don’t take lightly that as a white man, I must do the work to advocate for every one of you. I will not ignore this fight for Black lives. Today and every day, I will say their names: Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, and many more who had their lives unjustly taken. Their lives mattered. Your life matters. Black Lives Matter.
With love,
