So, where do we go from here?

*** both images above taken by me, during a protest in San Francisco, CA on June 3, 2020.

I’ve spent the better part of the last 2 weeks offline, and I won’t lie, it was amazing.

Not because I turned a blind eye to the magnitude of the issues, but because it gave me the mental and physical space to listen, learn, process and decide how I plan to move forward.

Black lives are important to me. But, what’s also important to me is continuing the education and conversation in a way that feels representative of me and my brand as a whole. I want to respectfully stay in my lane. And continue to learn from Black leaders.

How will that look for Cassidy Lou?

First off, I’ll be sharing what I learn, just like I do already. Whether it’s something I learned from a book I read, video I watched, or part of my online class, the blog already serves as a place for me to share what I learn.

Expect that to continue and expect what I learn as I slowly unpack my own biases and learn more about Black history in the US to be shared as well.

Expect me to continue sharing sustainable swaps, and brands, companies and products I discover, with some of those being Black owned brands.

For me that also means putting my money where my mouth is- making sure I support more Black owned brands, as well as holding the other brands accountable for diversity in their representation. As I flipped through the most recent Athleta catalog, I was very happy to see that their models were women of all different ethnicities, sizes and ages.

My purchasing needs to become more diverse, media intake more diverse, and more.

But I’m not going to simply pick random Black influencers to follow because they’re Black. That’s not the point. The point is follow them because of their contribution – whether their style inspires you, you love their business, you read their work, etc.

Earlier this year I spent some time both cleaning out who I follow on IG and deciding how I wanted to move forward with this space and decided upon the statement that’s now in my Instagram bio: 

“To become a more conscious consumer + better human while staying stylish and enjoying the ride. Let’s become the best versions of ourselves…together.”

Everything listed above falls into that statement. I care about people and I care about the planet. And those things aren’t ever going to change.

I still will be sharing my day to day over on IG stories, still sharing clothes and fashion, maybe some home, sustainable swaps, and what I’m learning. Join me!

xo, Maddy