ok, hi conversation club friends!
this email is exclusively for those of you who opted in to be part of the conversation club—including everyone who joined us for Careless People in September, and those who opted in for Colin Kaepernick’s The Perilous Fight for October.
the size of our club doubled this month from 24 to 50 members! we are so excited to have more voices in the mix because more people means richer conversations. please bear with us as we grow; we’re figuring out the best ways to keep this space deeply engaging, close-knit, and useful for everyone involved as we scale up.
inside you’ll find everything you need to get started:
October pick: a quick look at Colin Kaepernick’s powerful memoir
monthly cadence: the weekly rhythm and our Sunday group chat details.
guest curator: meet our co-pilot for the month—she's a massive Colin K fan, Niner Gang, and an absolute powerhouse who is going to help us dig into deeper truths (scroll down to meet her!)
book request: how to grab a copy this week if you need one.
October pick: Colin Kaepernick, the Perilous Fight
it’s a powerful, uncompromising blend of personal reflection and social manifesto that explores the true cost of his convictions. the book charts his life from growing up as a Black child adopted by a white family in California, navigating constant resistance to his identity, to using sports as a safe proving ground that ultimately led him to the Super Bowl. it builds toward his pivotal September 2016 decision to take a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality, pulling back the curtain on the ensuing corporate and political backlash from the NFL that ultimately exiled him from the sport. this memoir provides an ideal foundation for discussing the intersection of institutional power, professional sports, the heavy emotional and career toll of civil rights activism, and what it truly means to stand up for systemic change.
weekly conversational rhythm
We love keeping the conversation warm all month long. and we’ll be chatting in the private substack group chat, ftl convo club. the ftl team and our guest curator will be dropping casual prompts into the chat to spark sharing and keep us connected.
every Sunday at 9:00a est, the group chat officially opens up for everyone to chat freely about that week's recommended reading segments.
here’s the recommended weekly reading guide to help pace the book, but remember—it’s entirely a recommendation. life happens, so please go at your own pace, read whenever fits your schedule, and just jump into the conversation whenever you’re ready.
the live discussion will take place on wednesday, October 28, at 7:30p est. it should be on your calendars!
October’s guest curator
we’re trying something new and adding a guest curator to the mix. they are chosen for their deep passion for the month’s theme and commitment to our space. partnering with the FTL team, they will drop weekly prompts, share real-time reflections to help us all get vulnerable, and co-host our live meetup at the end of the month.
meet Halleemah Nash, our guest curator for the month! if you caught our last live meetup, you already know she completely lit up the room—especially when we announced we’re diving into Colin Kaepernick’s memoir. as a massive Kaepernick fan and proud SF niner gang member, Halleemah brings the perfect energy for this powerful read.
by trade, Halleemah is a heavy-hitting social entrepreneur with 15+ years of experience leading talent initiatives for the NBA, Nike’s Jordan Brand, PUMA, Savage X Fenty, and icons like Nipsey Hussle and Kendrick Lamar. but if you ask her, she sums it up best: i do cool shit in cool spaces with cool humans.
underneath the impressive accolades—including being named to Forbes’ The Culture 50 Champions—Halleemah is fundamentally a strategic incubator of human capital. she builds the communal infrastructure for anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong or had to shrink their truth to fit in. she is all about creating safe spaces, navigating the costs of authentic expression, and helping us show up as empowered, honest people.
we are sending books out this week…
if you need a copy of The Perilous Fight to participate, we’ve got you covered. this is a needs-based opportunity, and because we operate on absolute trust, there is no verification required—if you need a book, we will happily send you one. to receive your copy, please fill out your delivery info in this Google Form by this Friday.
see u in the chat!
sending u so much love,
m+k
Of course I am amped to lock arms with this group for October! Growth in numbers is nice, but Maya and Kevin directing us to deepen HOW we gather, listen, and build intentional space together makes these conversations rich. Or shall I say ... a Richtivity (get ready for the Bay area references lol). Colin’s story brings so many necessary truths to the surface around identity, institutional power, and the courage that it takes to stand firm in our purpose. Can’t wait to dive in. Thanks again M & K for gathering us. Grab your copy and let’s get into it! - Halleemah Nash