19/01/2023
A note from Katerina: Recently, I applied for an entrepreneurship visa in Denmark so I could live with my partner—and found out it was rejected. Our work at Spectacle was judged by three white men who deemed “the demand for this special area regarding inclusivity has not been proven in Denmark.” When I outlined the struggles that immigrant, female-identifying, and Muslim people are currently facing in Denmark, one judge retorted, “Denmark has been one of the first countries to offer free language learning to immigrants. The applicant may have their views on this, however it’s basically not enough for an innovative business model.”
Their feedback encapsulates the white fragility, “colonial amnesia” (see: half of Danes say racism isn’t a problem in Denmark), and desire for marginalized people to assimilate into white culture (see: “No Ghettos in 2030”, Denmark’s plans to eradicate non-Western immigrant communities who are “not properly integrating” into Danish society).
I’m tired of having to prove the worth of inclusivity. Of having to present financial data, social/economic/political research, and business analyses to build a case for the unarguable truth that we urgently need to build a world where all people are safe, valued, and cared for. And I’m saddened that this work, overflowing with such light, empowerment, abundance, love, and revolution was met with defensiveness & dismissal.
As devastated as I am to receive the rejection, it reminds me that I am on the right path. At Spectacle, we shift the DE&I mindset from one of scarcity & fear, to one of abundance, expansion, and curiosity. (An example in this case: “We don’t have a problem in Denmark” → “Imagine the possibilities for a better world if we started incorporating inclusive thinking!”) This work is not hyper-scalable, Silicon-Valley-unicorn-startup-gold—it’s the slow, intentional work of changing hearts & minds. And it reminds me that we were never meant to look to oppressive systems for validation, or fit into their models of success—we were always meant to build something new.
Every rejection is a redirection. Here’s to welcoming in aligned abundance in 2023 ✨