Arian Simone

“Fearless” is not only the title of Arian Simone’s venture-­capital fund; it defines her approach to the unrelenting attacks from cynical reactionaries determined to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Anti-DEI factions fear competition, and rather than work harder and smarter, they sue to stop progress. Timid corporations disavow DEI’s core values, publicly admitting their moral cowardice, but Arian refuses to back down. Fearless Fund invests in those too often left behind by banks and other VCs. She fights steadfastly for what she believes in—just as she did in her recent, ardent defense of a Fearless Fund program that gave grants to businesses owned by Black women, before the program ended in a lawsuit settlement, which I take as a tacit acknowledgment by DEI opponents that their case lacked merit. Arian knows that our beliefs cannot be litigated into obsolescence. They must be defended by brave souls committed to what’s right. One grant at a time, Arian guarantees others the freedom to build their own American Dream.

Abrams is an author and a voting-rights activist