D.E.I.

Dear Black people..

This tee is a constant, visible reminder that when we saw modern corporate D.E.I. initiatives, we must acknowledge they were treating the effect of a system rooted in the historical cause. Corporate D.E.I. is a direct, modern consequence of the historical trauma.

Diversity: The initial push came from the federal government with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent Affirmative Action mandates. Companies were legally required to prevent discrimination.

As diversity numbers stagnated and complaints about hostile work environments persisted, the focus expanded:

Inclusion was added to address the experience of the workplace, recognizing that diversity without inclusion leads to high turnover and low morale.

Equity emerged later, acknowledging that fair treatment requires addressing historical disparities. 

The core problem with corporate D.E.I. is that it attempts to solve a problem of structural economic debt with superficial measures of workplace belonging. It focuses on training the individual without questioning the system. 

Therefore, corporate D.E.I. was only the effect. In its absence, the cause remains centuries of structural violence, which we define as D.E.I.: Dehumanization, Erasure, and Injustice.

Our Mission at SBLF is to eliminate poverty & foster holistic well-being in the black community. This 30 year journey cannot be accomplished without your support, engagement and passing of this message.

Now, let's talk about the cost of that liberation. This $1,000 D.E.I.: Dehumanization, Erasure, and Injustice design is one of the fifteen pieces in our $15 billion fundraising goal.

I won't minimize the cost, but I will emphasize the necessity. This is not charity. It is a mandatory investment to repair a structural deficit that has compounded for 400 years.

We are not selling a tee; we are securing the capital to fund our Economic Foundation, and to end our dependency on the systems that were designed to fail us.

What is your freedom worth?

If our autonomy, our children's future, and the promise of a sovereign community are worth anything, then $1,000 is the required entry fee.

Wear the truth. Fund the future. This is how we build the economic foundation that cannot be compromised.