I think we all know about the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. We have been taught this children's lesson since pre-school and still I find so many people don't get it. Like...really understand that something so simple, a child could do it, could be so impactful in the smallest of ways.

I'm a fat woman in an industry that makes money off of telling women they're broken. They're too old, too fat, too dark-skinned, too, too, tooooo. My industry preys on the vulnerabilities of women because as women, we have not been taught to love ourselves, so how could the majority of us teach our kids to love themselves? 

I work in a predatory field. But unlike so many, I'm not a predator. Although, to some, that's like a smiling shark telling you they aren't a shark right before they bite you, right? What makes me different?

I hate my industry.

I hate what it does to us. I hate what it tells us. How much it lies to us and hurts our spirits. I hate that after 25 years of genuine hard work, discipline, education, sweat and actual tears, that because I'm fat, I was passed over for promotions, raises, and leadership roles that I was over qualified for. I wish I could say that I was just assuming but because this industry wraps daggers in silk, I was told as much. More than once.

I hate the discrimination and that all bodies are not used in advertising. I hate that gender queer representation isn't present. That big bodies, tiny bodies, Black, brown, and every other body isn't splayed across Times Square unless some CEO is shamed by social media masses.

I hate that my body changed the trajectory of my dream career.

So I changed my dream. 

I dream of being loud and telling the world that this industry is sick and it makes us sick. That our pain is a commodity to them. Our pain pays big, enormous dividends. 

I dream of showing people how to love their bodies, to nourish their bodies, and that every body deserves luxe moments of radical self-love. My dream now is to change the narrative. To de-program the people in my orbit. We aren't broken. Just because we are fat, old, wrinkled, queer, short, dark, hairy and god knows whatever else pejorative these people come up with, does not mean we are not 1000% deserving of self-care, beauty, and wellness.

Hate is a powerful word. I chose it adamantly. There isn't a powerful enough word to describe what we should all be feeling towards these sharks. But we have something they don't have. We have the choice to not support them and their toxic hazing of people, especially young people. 

We can decide their fate versus allowing them to determine ours. That's my dream career. To show people the wonderment I experience when I see someone fully embracing themselves in a loving hug of self-care and ritual. 

Brooklyn + Rye celebrates brands that get it. We don't partner with brands that tell you you're broken. We don't partner with brands that make us feel badly about ourselves. We are stopping the cycle of abuse. We committed to partnering with brands that make the world brighter and more inclusive.

Our space in Hudson is also run with that mindset. When you're in our house, all are welcome. You belong there. Whether or not you spend a penny in our space, you are our friend and we hope you feel that way from the very first step inside.

My why is to not make you just feel beautiful. It's to make you feel that you don't deserve anything less. That you deserve self-care. You deserve beautiful products. You deserve joyful experiences daily that remind you how special you are.

That's my Why. To love my industry again.