Where are you from?
On the surface, it’s a fairly simple question. I’m from Atlanta or we’re from Los Angeles. Next question please.
Our Founder Kebby is From Atlanta
Then she moved here to Los Angeles and started Coeur Sports
But wait a second before we move on. Let’s think about it. This question of origin is more complex than you might first think. True story. Kebby’s sister-in-law lives in Los Angeles and several years ago, she got called for jury duty. The trial she got called for involved a gang-related murder. Yikes! Before the formal testimony began, a professor, who was an expert on gangs, was brought in to educate the jury on gang terminology and behavior.
Interestingly, the expert let everyone know that the question “Where are you from?” is of critical importance. As in life or death importance. If someone poses that question, they are most likely asking about your affiliations. In the Deep South, some ask “Who are your people?”
Once someone knows who you associate with, they can form an opinion about you, your motivations, values, and potentially your intentions. The expert explained that in the world of gangs, getting this information from strangers was item number one on the “to do” list.
We’re incredibly fortunate that at Coeur, we (and hopefully all of you too) don’t have to quickly determine someone’s propensity for violence, but that’s not to say that affiliations are not important.
The notorious La Fur Nostra gang. Known for their ruthless licks and kisses
We’re all human and there’s a natural tendency to want to associate with like-minded individuals. Folks who will provide emotional and physical support when times get tough. People who accept you for who you are. Your community, your collective, your friends. That’s why we try to take time on a regular basis to remind everyone of our values and intentions. In other words, we want you to know “where we are from”.
Here’s where we’re coming from at Coeur. First, we are big believers in inclusiveness and community. We know that everyone who is a customer, a Collective Beat Member, or is on our Ambassador Team isn’t exactly the same, but we hope they share similar values. Especially when it comes to welcoming others into the sport.
Join the Collective Beat - A group of like-minded women who love triathlon
A recent study suggested that a significant number of people avoid triathlon because the other participants are not friendly. This is just nutballs to us.
The individuals who walk away from the sport because they find the current participants to be cliquey and stand-offish are potentially walking away from lifelong friendships and memories. They’ll miss building a bank of experiences that will make them smile inwardly for years to come. They are walking away from the health and fitness benefits that can be a part of triathlon. So, if someone puts on a Coeur garment, we just want them to know that we’re doing our best to make the name and logo synonymous with inclusion and fun. That isn't to say we don’t train our butts off or that some in Coeur aren’t fast AF. It isn’t to say we accept poor choices or discriminatory behavior. It just means that we give everyone a chance and a hand.
If someone just HAS to tell everyone they are “better, faster, cooler, prettier, thinner, whatever-er” than someone else, we respectfully suggest they consider other brands.
Being "fast" doesn't mean you are better than someone else. It simply means you are faster than most. Thanks for the genes, Mom and Dad! As Kebby is fond of saying, "If you are fast but are a jerk, then you are nothing but a fast jerk. Why would we want to associate with you?" We like kindness. Not a participation trophy for everyone, mind you, we still love competition especially if it betters ourselves. If this 'support' is unusual or a different way to approach sport, then we are cool with it and being different.
Second, we love nature. We can get so myopic in our day to day lives. So much stress and busy-ness. An instant cure is getting outside, moving and looking at nature. Our problems get smaller in perspective. We said it in our blog about sustainability, the beauty of nature is beyond our ability to explain and we respect it.
Our beautiful blue marble
We hope everyone flying the Coeur flag will continue to join us in our effort to become better at respecting and taking care of this beautiful this planet. So you can call us environmentalists, granola-popping (mmm, granola!) nature lovers, tree huggers…whatever. Again, we are cool with it. Just know that we’re trying to get better every day at taking care of this little blue marble in this massive universe.
Finally, we’re a little bit quirky. Much to our mother’s dismay, we have a tendency to do, say, and think things that aren't always the norm. At first we tried to straighten up and fly right (oh man, those debutante classes!), but eventually, love, laughter, and our sense of humor won the day. So, if you ever have the chance to stop by the Coeur office in Santa Monica, please be forewarned. Our goal is not only to make you a convert to our most excellent clothes and chamois pads, but also to make your visit memorable! We may have a clown nose, some kitty masks and a book about “Farts heard around the world” in the office, even though those things aren't exactly "professional" (sorry Mom!).
So, there you have it. This is where we’re from. If you'd like to get down on our desire for inclusiveness and love of the planet while, laughing at inappropriate things and you want to wear the best clothing in the market, please join us!
We promise our time together won’t be boring.
Your friends at Coeur