For myself, Pride month has always been a battle of two evils—one: as a business owner, accepting money from larger corporations to promote their pride offerings, keeping my business and my employees/contractors paid. Two: feeling as if Bob Cut is not doing enough to support our minority families during a time of serious transformation. All I can do is try to do my best for the business and do my best for those who look to me for leadership.
Though Bob Cut will not be marching peacefully with the Black Lives Matter movement due to COVID-19, our colleagues on the field will (i.e. SFist, SF Chronicle, SF Gate) and will be updating their stories with exclusive information on the city and the protests. But our community is incredibly forward and to honor that we decided to make the best of our sheltered time with activating in the charity space. Here’s what we have planned.
For the month of June, Bob Cut will be activating the platform to have a charity, donation, or gifting component to wherever you roam on bobcutmag.com.
Charity: when you purchase a Poppy Face Garter from Bob Cut, you have the option to pick a charity or donate to George Floyd’s family from the participating three in a drop down. Your purchase donates 100% of profit to the charity of your choice. We picked these two charities and the George Floyd’s family memorial fund as a way to support so many avenues in our city and beyond. SF LGBT Center providing LGBTQIA+ with professional and personal services all but not limited to housing, medical assistance, work and gainful employment. Oakland Elizabeth House is a non-profit ensuring that single mothers with children can get off the streets, into safe and sober housing. The non-profit also helps these mothers with next stages of their independence. And lastly, the memorial fund for George Floyd’s family—it goes without saying that money can’t bring a loved one back but if we can help and add to the bucket to make their transition easier. . Lest you may forget, a death tax, paying a funeral home, or paying for cremation, lawyers fees—it all comes with a hefty price tag. Donation: for the month of June, Bob Cut will be collecting donations on the front page of bobcutmag. com and at the bottom of stories for Black Organizing Project. The Black Organizing Project is a Black member-led community organization working for racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing and community-building in Oakland, California. Donations will be collected and delivered at the end of June, 2020. Those who donated will receive an email about the donation process and will be kept informed on their donation. Gifting: When you gift a #BobCutPlus subscription to someone, we will match your $40 to a charity of your choosing. The charity will receive the donation from Bob Cut Mag at the end of June, 2020. Please email us (editor [at] bobcutmag [dot] com) with your receipt so we may process your charity and donation. *Please note that the charities should be 501(c)(3) and have an accessible donation page or secured portal for donations.
As a brand, we know that this type of work is not enough. It can never be enough for the years of undocumented hatred, rage, and physical violence to Black and Brown people of color. We hope to see into the future where our brothers and sisters can go through this world and succeed on the same playing field as their white allies. We hope that this work triggers the minds of those who may be on the fence for whatever reason and choose love, progression, and unity over all.
Happy June, happy Pride, Black Lives Matter.
// Feature photo courtesy of Clay Banks from the Charlotte protests of George Floyd.
