I Will Not Hide

We are experiencing what I hope will be a revolution that will bring much needed change.

As a business owner, I’ve been aware that I’ve needed to stay “apolitical” because of concerns of hurting the livelihood of our shop. I can't stay silent any longer.  Business owners sometimes do, please stop. Speak up, speak out. To stay neutral during times of injustice means the same thing as taking the side of the oppressor.

You've seen me as the woman-owner of a small business who has a permanent sun-kissed skin tone. You know me, you know my daughters who have worked at the shop and you know all our employees. You come because of a love for donuts, a strong cup of coffee and a sense of community. Thank you for coming. I hope you will continue to visit.

FYI--I'm black. I didn't just get back from Florida.

I’ve consciously decided to neglect sharing online that I am a black woman. Because my skin tone is in a range that passes for "white" I have been afforded the privilege of being able to look for an apartment, a house, or go shopping as a "white" woman. I'm not. I'm black.

To be able to hide my blackness is a privilege. I am able to escape many injustices because of the way that I outwardly look. The cruel reality of our society is that it punishes black individuals for being black.

As many of you know, I am sickened by the reckless murder of George Floyd, and all of the events prior that led up to his life being stripped away from him.

George might have stopped at our shop, we might have met. I hope we did. But I don't need to have known him to know that what happened to him was predictable in our system.

That is extremely sad. Please make this change. I don't want my children to live in the same system. Do you?

The inhumane treatment of, and the ingrained belief that, black and brown lives are “less than” is not only a systemic problem, but also the basis of what this country was built on. It is planted into our psyches from the day that we start learning, consciously AND subconsciously.

Each generation born under this flag is either stripped of opportunity or given star treatment based on the color of their skin.

I am tired of living in fear, and I am tired of hiding who I am, my identity, my culture.  I am a black woman, a mother of three and a small business owner.

I am so thankful for the wonderful supporters our shop has, and I am thankful for my brilliant children for championing causes such as Black Lives Matter. These people constantly inspire my belief that change is on the horizon. I’m confident that we will reach a turning point eventually, if not soon.

I will keep marching forward, keep hope alive, and keep making donuts in the aim of spreading at least a kernel of happiness to our community, while also supporting the livelihood of our hardworking staff.

Please, let’s all make this change together. It will not happen any other way.

Lisa
Founder
Mojo Monkey Donuts