hi there, {{ subscriber.firstName | default('friend') }}! while it's [only] been two weeks since I landed in your inbox, the last 14 days feel like they've carried the weight of several months wrapped into one. last time we were here together, I shared resources for how you could self-educate and support BLM. fast forward to this past weekend, and it didn't feel like my voice was the one you needed, so I opted not to send out the sunday series.

instead, I felt that my efforts were best funneled into tangible ways I could take action; so, I observed a 72-hour digital detox and got moving in my community. from cleaning up the streets in a neighborhood in need with Candles in the Sun to participating in a peaceful protest in downtown Buffalo, going offline and focusing on actually doing the work felt most aligned for me. but I'm cognizant that these efforts can't exist in silos; being a true ally is about making long-term behavioral shifts.

so, as I got back on social this week, I've been paying close attention to thoughtleaders speaking about virtue signaling and performative allyship. this is something I'm being mindful of as we embrace that BLM is not a moment, it's a movement. and despite so many good intentions, it's evident that while we aren't going to be able to navigate the waters ahead without making some mistakes along the way, we have to keep showing up anyways. 

all of that to say, I'm not here to claim I'm an expert...the only thing I'm an expert in is my own experience. but by acknowledging where we are starting – whether that's from a perspective of privilege or perhaps quite the opposite – we can better recognize what we may need to unlearn about the way we each see the world. I look forward to continuing these imperfect conversations accompanied by the internal work required to move forward. it's the kind of thing that isn't Instagrammable, and that's okay.

as our worlds open back up – hello, stage one for New York City and nearly stage three for Western New York later this week! – it's critical that we don't forget this time period when race was the most talked about topic at dinner tables, through morning meetings and in hours-long phonecalls with friends. I'm hopeful that in the new normal, these dialogues continue to manifest into action. now that you've donated, posted and maybe even protested, I challenge you to ask yourself: how are you going to keep showing up?

for me, the next tangible step is embracing our collective responsibility to bring this consciousness to the work we produce. as a marketer, I'll be holding myself and the brands that I support to a higher standard. particularly when it comes to the content we consume, let's not brush over the fact that the "racial recocking in women's media" has a long way to go. so, as I examine the lens with which I bring to you stories through this newsletter, I'm committed to telling magnifying the voices of BIPOC. and there's no better time to begin than the present, right?

a month ago, I brought you the story of my creative entrepreneur friend, Diana Davis. it's through her work that I've discovered so many badass women, including today's spotlight guest, Shanna Tyler. in fact, all of the beautiful photos of Shanna featured below were snapped by Diana, so talk about synergy, right? in fact, the way that our worlds intersect has me thinking back to a fall morning in Manhattan when I sat down to a breakfast meeting with a travel industry colleague (hi, Laura!!) at Two Hands when Shanna and Diana were serendipitously sitting at the table next to us!

besides reminiscing on how much I miss overpriced avocado toast and IRL connection, the purpose of me sharing this story is to serve as a reminder that community is all around us if we choose to look for it. and Shanna is the kind of trailblazer that doesn't just look for it, but she fosters it first-hand. in our interview below, she shares more about the twists and turns that have resulted in her side hustle, Self Soul Sport, a platform dedicated to bringing women together around shared passions for loving self, nurturing soul and living sport.

KD: tell me more about your upbringing. did you always live in the NY-metro area?

ST: I've always lived in the NY-metro area in Jersey City, and I love it! I've been raised with the New York hustle with a mix of a Jersey girl which makes for a real fun combination. I notice I have the grit to get things done and the balls to put boundaries in place when I need them.

fast forward to college, what did you study?

ST: My major in college was Fashion Merchandising, which I ironically don't use anymore! It was interesting time because I already had lived away from my parents in high school for boarding school. I'd say college felt more like an extension of high school...it was pretty much the same experience and I actually felt more connected to my high school life than college life.

I understand from spending some time on your (beautiful!) site, after you graduated, you felt lost. this is an emotion so many people feel in the early stages of their careers. how did you find your way?

ST: Thank you for the kind words on my website and checking it out! Finding our way when we graduate is one of the hardest journeys. All life transitions are tough, yet I feel like this journey was the toughest for me thus far. I graduated with a BA in Fashion Merchandising and worked in retail, made my way up to supervisory role for a large company, and came to the realization that I hated it. 

The major I dedicated four years to and the dream I had in high school shattered in less than a year. That's not easy. What helped me find my way was therapy and family. I went to a therapist to work through these feelings, was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (long story there) before pivoting to a career that felt more aligned in wellness and fitness.

where does your passion for wellness come from? what does your wellness routine look like now?

ST: My passion for wellness comes from that life transition after college. Being a new graduate taught me I still needed to learn how to take care of me outside of the confines of a school setting and strict schedule. My major depressive disorder diagnosis also further pushed me toward wellness. Wellness looks many different ways for me – it includes moving daily, getting facials, drinking matcha, and then it looks like eating pizzas, watching horror movies, and disconnecting from social media.

you launched Self Soul Sport in 2017 and it started with events. the following year, you launched a podcast. today, you host virtual discussions. how do you describe what you do and how the community has evolved over time?

I describe myself as a host and gatherer for Self Soul Sport. I host conversations and hold space for them. I gather people together and support them in building genuine relationships through telling their stories of loving self, nurturing soul, and living sport. Self Soul Sport has evolved over time because I believe society evolves over time. 2017 was a completely different year than now where we are facing a pandemic and BLM movement.

you could have fooled me, but your brand is your side hustle. how do you balance it all?

I fool a lot of people with this one! I was only full-time in my brand from 2019 to 2020. But from 2017-2019 and this year, I've been side hustling. I balance it all by prioritizing tasks and setting boundaries. I batch my days into categories like Admin, Self Soul Sport, Coaching, etc. Then I give each day a category to follow. For instance, today I'm doing this on my Self Soul Sport day, which is all about fostering community and spreading the word about Self Soul Sport! 

in recent weeks, you've made the brave decision to use your platform to educate on your experience as a Black woman. how do you remain vulnerable and still show up fro your community in the face of such an emotionally-draining time?

To be honest, I've been very drained at the end of two IG Lives and countless conversations in both private and public about being a Black woman. I will add that I've always been brave even before the height of the BLM movement, most recently sparked by the death of George Floyd. I'm currently stepping back showing up to educate and amplifying other Black voices because yah gurl is tired! I'm hosting an event on Saturday June 27th, A Really Real Panel with Black Women on Race, Diversity, and Inclusion, for Self Soul Sport and I need to save my energy.

what excites you about the second half of 2020?

This is such a hard question. It's hard to be excited about anything right now! It's been a very emotionally challenging time with the pandemic and BLM. I'd say what excites me is getting to vote and take action more as a Black woman.