Allyson Felix is supporting women who take a stand in their workplaces.
In partnership with Pure Leaf Iced Tea for Women’s History Month, the U.S. Olympian teamed up with The SeekHer Foundation for the launch of “No” grants, according to a press release.
The new funding is the beginning of the beverage company’s $1 million commitment to advocating for women. Through its three-year pledge, the press release shares that Pure Leaf will fund partnerships and initiatives “to support women who want to say ‘no’ at work so that they can say ‘yes’ to other personal, social, familial and cultural things in their lives.”
“Since its launch in 2020, Pure Leaf’s ‘No is Beautiful’ campaign has encouraged people everywhere to say ‘no’ to the things that don’t matter, so they can say ‘yes’ to things that do,” Julie Raheja-Perera, General Manager, North America, Pepsi Lipton Partnership, shared in a press statement. “That’s why we are thrilled to launch the ‘No’ Grants in partnership with Allyson Felix and SeekHer.”
She continued: “Both Allyson and SeekHer founder Dr. Monica Mo personally understand just how high the ‘Cost of No’ can be for women. We recognize that the inability to say ‘no’ to asks in the workplace has real consequences for women, including burnout and financial impacts. While we at Pure Leaf push for ‘no’ to be more widely accepted in society, the ‘No’ Grants are our first step toward helping women say ‘no’ in the workplace so they can say yes to the things that matter.”
Felix is no stranger to saying “no” to things that no longer serve her. As previously reported by AfroTech, she departed from her Nike deal due to their lack of support for pregnant female athletes and new mothers. Now, she’s helping other women get the opportunity to choose their own wants.
“Too often, the ‘Cost of No’ is too high for women, particularly those in minority communities,” said Allyson Felix via a press release. “Each time a Hispanic or Black woman says ‘no’ in the workplace, she loses over $1,400 in future earning potential. I’m partnering with Pure Leaf because we must help women say ‘no’ at work without the worry of financial repercussions.”
To apply for a “No” grant, click here.