When Arian Simone received news of a federal lawsuit against her and the “Fearless Fund”—her venture capital firm whose most well-known grant funded Black women-owned businesses in need—she was shocked. Not only because the principles on which the fund was established—equity and diversity, especially—were the new cornerstones in a post-George-Floyd-America, but because the plaintiffs, who had just won a Supreme Court case against affirmative action in college admissions—built their argument using the 1866 Civil Rights Act: a law put in place for formerly enslaved persons to enter into contracts the same as whites.

In Fearless Freedom, Arian discusses how everyone—whether you’re a business owner, a politician, an educator, or someone simply navigating their own path in life—has something to gain from creating a more inclusive world. And with lessons imparted by her parents, informed by her top-tier international education, and refined in the flames of political and civil turmoil—Arian expertly delivers a roadmap for the change we know we need and the actions change requires.

In the context of financial freedom for all, fearless action is our greatest tool in dismantling the barriers that hold others back and establishing wealth for future generations.

Arian Simone recently took time to answer seven questions from Porchlight about the book, why she wrote it, and other books that can help us build a better life for ourselves—and all of us.

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Porchlight Book Company: Writing a book is no small undertaking. What compelled you to write this one?

Arian Simone: I had one of the most challenging times that I faced in life and in business, and the lessons that I learned from it, I knew, were valuable lessons that others could apply to their lives as well.

PBC: What is one unanswered question you encountered as you wrote the book that you are most interested in answering now?

AS: I had the challenge of giving people a visual of what an equitable society would look like, and because we have never lived in one in our lifetime, nor do we have a place in history to point to, it was difficult at first. I questioned how I would do this. I took time out to meditate on it, and through reverse engineering, I was able to achieve that. So, when you read the book, I do offer a vision of what an equitable society would look like. Whether we can work together to build that society is the unanswered question. 

PBC: If there is only one thing a reader takes away from reading this book, what would you hope it to be?

AS:I would hope it to be that people with different views and different perspectives can still collectively move toward a common goal.

PBC: One of the great things about books is that they tend to lead readers to other books. What book[s] related to this topic would you recommend people read after (or perhaps even before) reading your book?

AS: The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South by Osha Gray Davidson (1996) and the 2019 film adaptation, The Best of Enemies.

PBC: What is your favorite book? 

The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn.

PBC: What are you reading now?

AS: I'm reading Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life by Emma Grede.

Do you have any future projects in the works that we can look forward to?

AS: Yes, I have a documentary, Fearless Freedom, to go along with this book.

About the Author

Arian Simone is an Ivorian Queen, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author whose life reflects fearless leadership and impact. As Founder and CEO of the Fearless Fund, the first venture capital fund built by women of color for women of color, she has secured backing from institutions like J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America to invest in diverse founders. Today, as Queen Wa of Dawa Grand Bereby in Côte d'Ivoire, she partners with the Ivorian government to empower under-resourced communities and advance sustainable development.