I haven’t blogged in a while.
That pause was not accidental. It was grief. It was anger. It was watching what is happening in our country and struggling to find words that didn’t feel too small for the moment.
What is happening right now with ICE, with authoritarian power grabs, with the treatment of immigrants, protesters, and American citizens is beyond heartbreaking. What is happening in Minneapolis is devastating. Families are being torn apart. Mothers are being killed. People are being arrested and brutalized for exercising their right to protest.
And many of us who own small businesses are sitting in the same uncomfortable question:
Do we speak up?
Do we speak out?
Or do we stay quiet because we are afraid of what it might cost us?
For a long time, neutrality has been sold to small business owners as professionalism. As safety. As smart branding. Keep it vanilla. Keep it neutral. Don’t alienate anyone. Don’t risk your bottom line.
But here is the truth I can no longer ignore.
Neutrality is a choice. And it is not a harmless one.
As Elie Wiesel said,
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”
And again,
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
Right now, Americans are being arrested and killed for protesting. Doors are being broken down. Families are being terrorized. This is not abstract. This is not politics as usual. This is happening in real time to real people.
So what does it mean to run a brand in this moment?
It means asking yourself what story your business is telling when things get hard. It means asking what your values actually are when silence would be easier.
For me, the answer became unavoidable.
I will no longer sit out. I will no longer remain silent.
I recently shared this statement on Threads, written by Kaili Meyer of Reveal Studio and shared with permission:
“Monthly reminder that if you support what ICE is doing and or you defend ICE, you are not my people. As a client. A customer. Or a friend. Please under no circumstances inquire with me.”
That statement now lives on my website. It is a disclaimer. It is also a line in the sand.
To be clear, this is where I stand.
There is no longer room for neutrality. You are either with ICE or against it.
And Sweet Pea Ink Creative is against ICE, against the government policies that enable this violence, and against everything this system stands for.
I know what some will say.
What about your business?
What about your income?
What about alienating potential clients?
Here is my answer.
If my business only survives by being silent while people are harmed, then that business is not aligned with my values. And alignment matters more to me than comfort.
Sweet Pea Ink Creative has always been about storytelling. And stories are not neutral. They reflect values, beliefs, and choices. Even silence tells a story.
So let me be clear about the story I am choosing to tell.
The Values of Sweet Pea Ink Creative
Sweet Pea Ink Creative stands for human dignity.
We stand against systems that dehumanize, terrorize, and destroy families.
We believe creativity and design are not separate from ethics.
We believe brands have a responsibility to be honest about who they are and what they stand for.
We believe silence in the face of injustice is not professionalism. It is complicity.
We believe small businesses do not have to perform neutrality to be taken seriously. We can be thoughtful, values-driven, and brave at the same time.
And we believe that doing good matters even when it costs something.
This is not about being provocative for attention. This is about integrity.
This is about refusing to hide behind aesthetics and pretty words while harm is happening in front of us.
This is the story of Sweet Pea Ink Creative. It is being written against ICE, against authoritarianism, and against the normalization of violence carried out in the name of policy.
If that means this space is not for everyone, so be it.
But it will always be a space rooted in truth.
If You’re a Small Business Owner Struggling Right Now
If you are a small business owner feeling overwhelmed, scared, angry, or unsure how to move forward in this moment, you are not weak. You are paying attention.
Here are a few grounded ways to find support and take action without burning yourself out.
1. Get Clear on Your Values Before You Take Action
Before posting, pivoting, or panicking, take time to write down what you actually stand for. Not what feels safe. Not what sells. What is true for you.
Values clarity reduces fear driven decisions. It also helps you communicate with confidence instead of reactivity.
2. You Do Not Have to Speak the Loudest to Speak Honestly
Speaking out does not have to mean constant posting or public confrontation. It can look like:
- Updating your website values or disclaimer
- Choosing who you work with intentionally
- Redirecting a portion of your profits
- Sharing resources instead of hot takes
- Saying no quietly and consistently
Sustainability matters. Burnout helps no one.
3. Find Community That Matches Your Nervous System
You are not meant to process this alone. Seek out other business owners who are values aligned, politically aware, and emotionally grounded.
That may look like:
- Private Slack or Discord groups
- Local mutual aid collectives
- Small peer led business circles
- Therapy or coaching with practitioners who acknowledge the current reality
Avoid spaces that demand positivity or neutrality as the price of belonging.
4. Support Organizations Doing the Work
If you are able, consider supporting organizations that are actively protecting immigrants, protesters, and civil liberties. This can be financial support, sharing resources, or volunteering skills.
Even small consistent actions matter.
5. Protect Your Capacity
You are allowed to log off. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to step back without disengaging from your values.
Resistance is not only loud. It is also sustained, thoughtful, and deeply human.
6. Remember This
You are not imagining the weight of this moment.
You are not overreacting.
And you are not alone.
Running a business with integrity during times like these is not easy. But it is meaningful. And meaning matters.
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