“We have to change our thought process about what luxury is and realize there is room for all of us to be heard. The larger companies need to start investing in the smaller voices. We all have to remember, recognize and pay tribute to the people who came before us and paved our roads. Too often, when we get to a point where we are able to navigate on our own, we forget those who helped us get there and we also forget about the people who we need to push forward. There will never be enough equity if we don’t continue to make those deposits and investments in the voices that are seldom heard.   You have to be able to navigate past all the negative responses to be able to find the positive ones and the positive ones are going to get you the best opportunities. In your journey, every “no” is just as meaningful as every “yes.”  I can see at this point in time that we have made some progress but we have to keep the ball rolling.  It is discouraging to see some of the sad attempts larger companies have made, especially now during Black History Month. Their attempts of inclusion are about people who clearly aren’t in the room nor part of the discussion. The solution to this is and always will be inclusion and representation. The only way we can achieve this is if companies start re-education programs that can instill in its employees that representation of a larger demographic can lead to a more rounded voice.”

– Ty Hunter, Partner at SMF Global Consultants