Orchid Story Anti-Racist Pledge

Orchid Story, LLC holds these values in the highest esteem: justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. As Founder, I, Rachel Nusbaum, am committed to my own work in becoming anti-racist and I acknowledge I have waited way too long to fully invest in this work. My anti-racist work looks like:

• Listening to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) individuals and taking time to digest their messages through my own writing practice

• Inviting as many women of color to be on my podcast as white women

• Decolonizing my bookshelves to have more space for diverse voices

• Being accountable to myself by writing about and publicly sharing how I encounter and process my own white privilege

• Buying from and promoting work and goods from individuals who identify as women and BIPOC entrepreneurs.

As my business grows and I have the ability to hire people and invest more in outside resources, I plan to seek relationships with diverse women whose life experience is not the same as my own, as a cisgendered white woman.

In addition to people of color, this pledge of inclusivity includes all people who identify with the LBGTQ+ community. This includes all people who live with a disability of some form, seen or unseen. This includes all religions. This includes anyone Intentionally left off of this list.

My expectation is that any individual interacting with Orchid Story in any way also believes deeply in the values of justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity. I have a Zero Tolerance policy for hate speech of any kind. I expect that the white women who work with me are committed to anti-racism efforts in their own lives. I expect that the women of color and LGBTQ+ women I work with will hold me accountable to this pledge and call me out when I am failing them.

I recognize that I have a lot more work to do and I will get many things wrong.