Arlan 👊🏾
@ArlanWasHere
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Proud founder of @Backstage_Cap 💯 + @HireRunner 💜🏃🏾♀️, Author IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME, Host YOUR FIRST MILLION, @QueerGermanGirl ’s WIFEY😍 @generalhospital fan📺
Los Angeles, CA
Joined June 2007
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I’m sure many people have said this, but I haven’t seen anything about it. Why isn’t there a set of TV channels available nationwide by September that has school curriculum taught all day with simple scheduling? It would be more accessible than everyone needing a computer + wifi.
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I consider myself a lesbian bon vivant, and in my 41 years of lesbianing, I thought I had seen it all. But no, I had not:
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1. One day I hope to be as comfortable at anything as
@rihanna
is at speaking.
2. She’s grown sooo much in the past 10 years and it’s genuinely inspirational.
3. I need everyone to stop what you’re doing and watch all 3mins of this
4. PULL UP! 💜
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When I asked Mark Cuban, a billionaire, why he invested $6M into my fund when he doesn’t usually enjoy investing in other people’s funds, he said without hesitation, “you’re in rooms I’ll never be in.”
Think about how powerful that is. You don’t have to be rich to be powerful.
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"My name is Arlan. I'm a 37-year old Black woman from Texas, based in LA. Four years ago, I was on food stamps. Today, I have built a venture capital fund from the ground up, and have invested in 100 startup companies led by women, people of color, and LGBTQ founders."✍🏾
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Women: this is your reminder to have zero imposter syndrome. Not saying what Rick is saying is wrong, just saying you’re right.
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Tesla.
I remember a company asking me to come in to speak with their execs about diversity and me saying sure and giving my consulting rate, and them saying “why would we pay you? Don’t you want to meet our famous CEO?” And them now being revealed as a toxic workplace months later.
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The definition of giving people their flowers while they’re here:
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The rumors are true. Today at
#USOW2018
I announced that my venture capital firm
@Backstage_Cap
has launched a $36m fund that will invest in Black women founders $1mill at a time. Thank you to the Backstage Crew, headliners, LPs, mentors & network for making this moment possible.
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Is this real life? I’m the October COVER of
@FastCompany
! Also the first Black woman who isn’t an entertainer/athlete (
@Oprah
,
@serenawilliams
,
@Beyonce
,
@LenaWaithe
— my favs!) to be on the cover. I never could have imagined this 3 yrs ago🤭 SO grateful.
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Robert F. Smith is the richest Black person in the U.S. He just pledged to pay all 400
@Morehouse
graduating class members’ remaining student loans. What he has just unlocked will reverberate for DECADES if not more.
Even if I never meet him, I will be forever grateful to him.
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Maybe our reparations should be that we all get an 850 credit score.
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If this song makes you emotional, we could probably be friends.
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"My name is Arlan. I'm a 40-year old Black woman from Texas, based in LA. Six years ago, I was on food stamps. Today, I have built a venture capital fund from the ground up, and we have invested in 175 startup companies led by women, people of color, and LGBTQ founders."✍🏾
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This is pretty heartbreaking. I hope this part of it is over very soon and that she soon gets to feel the love she has from all over the world, within.
Duchess Meghan also opens up in the documentary about dealing with negative press during her pregnancy:
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My reply today to an event invite to speak in person...
Feel free to the template for your next reply as needed.
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For about 18 months, I begged
@staceyabrams
to run for President. Even though she contemplated a run, her answer always came back to this: “if I don’t help fix voter suppression, it won’t matter who runs for President.”
She’s a masterclass in strategy, focus, and execution.
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Recording my debut album, “I don’t work here.” Featuring the hit singles, “Yes, I do have a ticket. I’m the keynote speaker.” and “Yes, I know this is the line for First Class.” Droppin straight FIRE bars!
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The first time I held a copy of my
@FastCompany
was just 2 days ago. Id been keeping it together, but once I saw it in person, a flood of memories of what it took to get to this point in my life came rushing at me. My longtime friend & co-conspirator
@dcONearth
caught the moment.
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I’d like to announce that I’m starting a $13 fund for straight white men. I will be giving 26 straight white men 50cents, along with exposure, experience, and mentorship of my choosing. Because of this, I am being awarded $1billion worth of free marketing & leads. You’re welcome.
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Well, never in a million years would I ever have thought I’d ever, ever say this... but...
I am indeed starting to feel the Bern.
We shall see...
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I’m going to receive a few thousand $ in Feb from the (modest) estate of my late father. I’d like to use $5,000 of it to split between 10 people for something that greatly impacts their craft/passion. In what way would $500 impact what YOU are doing? I’ll choose my favs to fund🌱
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No matter what happens next...
Thank you, Georgia.
Thank you,
@staceyabrams
.
Thank you, Black people.
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3 years ago I slept in a rental car w/my mom to attend SXSW, looking for investors for a fund that didn’t yet exist.
This year’s SXSW was slightly different:
1 big announcement
8 speaking engagements
16 Crew members
&
56 Portfolio co-founders attended
And a very proud VC✨
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So this is kinda random but I just noticed that the three men who created that 99%-dude Forbes list have not been on Twitter since 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively. And it’s a list about innovation. This makes me blink hard.
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“Just because I carry it well, doesn’t mean it ain’t heavy.”
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I met high-schooler David at the Atlanta airport after complimenting him on his shirt. His aunt made it for him👨🏾🎓
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If you’re wearing a mask and it’s not covering your nose, you’re not wearing a mask.
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JUST MARRIED🎈
@queergermangirl
and I have known each other nearly 5 years. Together more than 4 years (pre-dating the fund!). Took 19 months to receive her fiancée visa. And today...it happened🎅🏾Woooooo!!
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Be yourself so that the people looking for you can find you.
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She is all of us, and we are all of her.
And she is my hero. Watch every second of this.
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In 2015, I slept in a rental car w/my mom, hoping to meet investors at
@sxsw
who would want to back a fund that didn’t yet exist. This year, I brought 30+ team/fam/guests, spoke on 5 stages, filmed my own tv show, & met hundreds of people who have been catalyzed by my work…
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Dear white people I work with: Don’t ask anything of me on Monday if you’re not speaking out today. Don’t expect me to co-sign on your social equity if you’re not willing to make your thumbs work. It’s literally the least you can do. I do mean it.
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With Millie Bobby Brown trending with yet another adult taking advantage of her (this time, it’s about a 20 year old man talking explicitly about a relationship with her. She’s 16 today) I’d like to reiterate what I’ve been saying for 4.5 years…
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2014: income <$10,000
2016: raised first $1.2M fund
2020: deployed first $1M “check”
2021: raised $1M in 8 hours
Don’t give up.
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Today marks the beginning of my 100th week sober from alcohol, after being addicted for ~15 years. NEVER imagined this was possible. I wake up proud & grateful to be here, to have my senses at 100%, to truly taste what life has to offer, the good, the bad & everything in between.
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If I EVER had a son and he dressed the way Harry Styles does in this new magazine feature at ANY age, I’d lose my mind...
...with PRIDE AND ADULATION!
Imagine that, he’s alive and healthy and beautiful and talented and is SERVING.
Candace, honey, sit down and shut up.
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“Over her 23-year career, Serena Williams has never tested positive for any illegal substance despite being tested significantly more than other professional tennis players, both male and female – in fact, 4x more frequently than her peers.”
They can’t STAND for us to win.🧐
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We started taking Friday’s off at my company back in May or so. I think all weekends should be 3 days from now on in this new normal. What do you say to a 4-day work week?
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Y’all. Today my U.S. speaking fee is the same amount as the most income I made in a full calendar year til I was 35 years old.
You hear me?
Keep going.
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It’s my sincere pleasure to announce the Oxford-Arlan Hamilton & Earline Butler Sims Scholarship for Black scholars🧚🏽♂️ My mother and I are funding a full rise scholarship for both
@UniofOxford
(a first-of-its-kind for the uni) + (HBCU) Dillard University.
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If you make less than $200k, you can buy $1,000 worth of lottery tickets every day of the week, but can’t invest in most private companies. Many of us don’t think that’s right & also think it’s hindering Black wealth creation. So I told the SEC.
@Law360
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Just found out you can use an emoji to find a gif on twitter (from
@1WiS3_Guy
) and I’m shooketh. I know you were trying to go to sleep and all, but...
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Key to success? Lack of FOMO. Wherever I am, that’s the best deal/meeting/party in town. That feeling will take you far.
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Sincere shoutout to anyone who couldn’t afford Xmas gifts this year. It’s ok and you’re enough. Real talk.
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Before it was deleted, this is what that tweet was about...
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Mark Cuban has given me $6M to invest in underestimated founders (ArlanWasHere Investments Fund I), and I just released a podcast episode with details.
@ApplePodcasts
@anchor
@spotifypodcasts
cc:
@mcuban
@Backstage_Cap
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Black people don’t need anyone’s permission to start a company, to learn to code, to read and drink from the same cup of knowledge as others, to have equity in something, to rewrite history, to create, to imagine, to invent, and invest.
Please, just DO. It’s our time.
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Yesterday I showed a journalist the part of the SFO airport I used to “sleep” in part of the time when I was homeless (again) in 2015. Today I watched the sun rise from the 180-degree view of San Francisco my hotel room has, quietly celebrating my 75th investment.
Don’t give up.
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Friendly reminder: I cannot be offended by someone I do not respect.
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2014: personal income <$10,000
2016: raised first $1.2M fund
2020: deployed first $1M “check”
2021: raised $5M in 8 days
Don’t give up.
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I still think it’s crazy that wealthy people get so much for free, and it’s so expensive to be poor.
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Ok,
@Google
, you’ve figured out how to show accurate Black representation in your cameras. Now do your workforce.
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They said it couldn’t be done...
It is my great honor to announce that the venture capital fund I launched in 2015 has now grown to 20 (💜) Crew members, 50+ (👊🏾) Limited Partner investors, and, as of today—say it with me—100 AMAZING PORTFOLIO COMPANIES
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How women get to age and how men get to age summed up in tweets from two cool people I follow just hours apart.
@jameelajamil
@FredTJoseph
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Today I remembered this time 5 short years ago a friend and his wife invited me over for dinner. I had less than $10 to my name (they didn’t know) but didn’t want to show up empty-handed, so I bought a $3 bottle of wine that tasted terrible. I felt so down about it...
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I remember a company asking me to come in to speak with their execs about diversity and me saying sure and giving my consulting rate, and them saying “why would we pay you? Don’t you want to meet our famous CEO?” And them now being revealed as a toxic workplace months later.
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10 years ago, would you have imagined it would be Kanye riding for Trump and Taylor Swift riding for Biden/Kamala?
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👋🏾 Who here agrees that they should not have an in-person inauguration this month, sign
@JoeBiden
in at a televised and streamed process with the 4-5 people in the room, and then have a blowout party next year?
Why do we need an inauguration ceremony of any magnitude right now?
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Y’all are going to have to stop thinking of Black people as charity or people you are “helping to elevate”. We elevate you. Stop it.
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...I think about these types of things every day. Every time I order food to be delivered and the cost of it is more than I would have had for a week’s worth of food 6 years ago. Or when I’d stretch $2 in change.
Every day, without fail, I remember.
It feels like yesterday.
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Thinking about the innocent hotel and food workers in Tulsa who have to deal with and be exposed to these immoral idiots this weekend.
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Absolutely no ripple effects racing through the male founder community in the aftermath of WeWork’s implosion.
Very real ripple effects racing through the female founder community in the aftermath of last week’s Verge/Away piece.
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Not even going to be chill about this. I just got my finished books in the mail, y’all!!!
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When I think of collaborating, I think of it as you x me, rather than you + me. A successful collaboration is compounding, not just additive.
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I started asking for what I’m worth, and accepting nothing less. A funny thing happened: I started getting it.
You have to be prepared for those who *will* say no. As long as you’re willing to walk away from those tables, the right alignment at the right value will come along.
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1/I’ve got something I HAVE to say:
If you want to attract money, and you don’t have money, you have to BE money.
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Always knew Betty White was a real one, but never knew this story... 💜
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I know most don’t agree with me, but I would much rather see Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman, Bill Mcglashan, etc paying for underserved college kids’ tuition for the rest of their lives than behind bars. Lori apparently could face 50 years? How will that help anyone?
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Most investors and corporations are still treating founders, employees and vendors who are women and people of color like either charity or an HR issue, instead of the untapped, overlooked and underestimated value proposition we truly are.
Figure this out at your org to win.
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I’m super concerned with how many voice-activated things have a woman’s voice. We’re basically telling artificially intelligent women what to do and teaching young boys to do the same. If at least 10% of us change our settings to a male voice, it’ll make a huge difference.
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Or we could, you know, fix Earth.
@wapodavenport
My plan is to use the money to get humanity to Mars and preserve the light of consciousness
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A thing you could do to improve diversity in tech? Invite diverse people to speak at your events about things OTHER than diversity in tech.
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ANNOUNCEMENT: It is my great honor to lead the new round of funding for
@Backstage_Cap
headliner
@getmahmee
, supported by
@serenawilliams
@mcuban
@RiseOfRest
+more🙌🏾 Together Melissa, Sunny and Linda are a force the be reckoned with and will save lives🙌🏾
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Black women really did just get the first Black woman Vice President elected.
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🤲🏾 So, like many of you, I’ve waited a long time to say:
It’s. About. Damn. TIME!!! 😍
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My mom doesn’t have time for you or your nonsense while she’s drinking champagne on her international flight, ok? 😁
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Just found this email I sent out to several investors on May 27, 2013. Keep in mind this was when I had a place to live (with my mom), but figured out rent month-to-month, and wouldn’t have been able to afford a plane ticket from Houston to SF.
Second pic is from 5 days ago.
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You either change the title to “white female founders” or you have more representation in the pic. Ya know? (before you accuse me of being sensitive, I’m telling you the most likes I’ll get will be from white women who agree. This is ALL of our problem).
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The first woman / Black woman / Indian woman / Asian-American woman / HBCU graduate / AKA to become Vice President of these United States!!!
@KamalaHarris
🗽
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Scientists say it’s so white, it received $50M from venture capitalists for diversity recruiting when it wasn’t even seeking funding.
The world's whitest paint has been created in a lab at Purdue. Scientists say it's so white that it could eventually reduce the need for air conditioning.
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One way companies can foster diversity in tech is to invite underrepresented speakers to their events to speak about topics OTHER than diversity in tech.
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Black women, whatever you’re being paid, it’s a discount. Forget “imposter syndrome.”
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