The world is literally burning around us. I’m not quite sure what to say but here I go.

First: I see you. I appreciate you. I stand with you in solidarity against racism, bigotry, & injustice.

Second: I’m going to take action with my dollars & my time.

#BlackLivesMatter

I know that if I don’t speak up & take action I’m a part of the problem (not racist). This is me trying to be a small part of the solution (anti-racist).

I invest in early stage startups and ambitious founders leveraging the power of community. I am expanding that community.

I'm turning on open office hours for POC, underrepresented founders and, very specifically, black founders throughout the month of June. I know that many people talk about "finding a warm intro" to VCs but this is a huge challenge for many.

For those of you who don't have large networks of venture capitalists, this can be a non-starter. I'm here to tell you that it's not about who you know; it's about what you're building and why.

Here's a quick story: My partner, Chip Hazard, met Cherae Robinson through open office hours. When he connected Cherae & I last year, we quickly decided to become her largest investor at Tastemakers Africa, a platform & community that's connecting the continent & the black diaspora. Cherae is a special person & founder, working to solve a massive problem.

If you're building something that you think might fit in to our thesis and you're a black founder, grab a slot here.

If you'd prefer, you can also send me an email at [email protected]. My calendar is open and I am ready and waiting to meet you and to hear your pitch.

For the month of June I'm also making a donation for every office hour slot (https://calendly.com/srcasm/open-office-hours) that I host to two causes: Equal Justice Initiative and BlackLivesMatter.com. If you're able to, please donate as well.