Photo by Michael Ochs Archives
As we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Suzanne and I have been reflecting on what this day signifies for Bonfire in particular. It is a time to pause, reflect and ask ourselves where we are relative to our own commitment to build a company that is “bending the arc of the moral universe towards justice.” We know that we are making progress through our work with Bonfire women every day, and yet, there is so much more we can do individually, and as a company.
While we look at each company decision in terms of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) implications—from hiring, to product design, speaker selection, member recruitment and marketing language—we know that there is still so much more we can do. We will continue to have blind spots. In fact, as a company focused on addressing the inequities faced by women, we have a special obligation to explore all the ways that our mission intersects with other social justice issues.
In many respects, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is one of intersectionality: he showed us how the inequities of race, class, gender and economics play out as inextricably connected threads in our national fabric. Sadly, he could not imagine how true his prophecies would become as we now grapple with LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, reproductive rights and the future of our democracy.
The work of changing social norms is hard—out in the world, for women in the workplace, and here at Bonfire. Yet as Dr. King said, change “does not roll in on wheels of inevitability.” This is a continuous conversation, and often a hard one. In the meantime, we will reflect on this day of rest and remembrance.
-Rachel and Suzanne