If I could describe Virginia Cumberbatch in one word, it would be extraordinary. She’s that beautiful, accomplished friend who exudes confidence and grace, yet feels so approachable and grounded. You can imagine her as the friend in the corner of the room, not seeking the spotlight, but radiating joy and clapping the loudest as another friend takes the stage. She is, without question, the one cheering you on, reminding you that your success is worth celebrating.
Virginia is the epitome of a Wellthy Woman—a trailblazer in her own right, a creative activist and an example of what living authentically looks like. Coming from a family of changemakers, her life’s work is rooted in a legacy of equity, justice and shalom—which she defined as a beautiful concept of peace and wholeness. She’s not just walking her own path; she’s building bridges and creating spaces for others, especially women of color, to tell their stories, elevate their voices and disrupt systems that perpetuate inequality.
In this interview, Virginia opens up about her journey of self-discovery, the courage it takes to live unapologetically and how she’s redefining activism and leadership on her own terms. From her work as co-founder of Rosa Rebellion to her transformative experiences on lululemon’s IDEA Global Advisory Board, Virginia is a force for change, weaving creativity and purpose into everything she touches. Read on to be inspired by her wisdom, her candor and her unwavering commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable world while also honoring her right to vacillate between rest and rage.
You’re an incredibly eloquent storyteller, so we’d love to hear a story about you. How did Virginia Cumberbatch get started on this journey? What inspired the work you do today and who do you feel you’re becoming as you continue to grow and evolve?
Thank you, that’s so kind and generous of you to say. I attribute a lot of who I am and the work I do now to be a continuation of the legacy created by my parents and grandparents. A combination of attorneys, educators/professors, pastors and therapists, the common ethos of each of their life’s work has been a commitment to community equity, justice and shalom. A Hebrew word that means peace, wholeness, complete – I feel like my life is a culmination of experiences that has me always asking, what part can I play in bringing shalom to my sphere of influence? What’s missing, what needs changing, what needs building, what needs to be disrupted?
I think the last year or so I’ve been giving myself permission to be more unapologetic and less concerned with following rules, social order or cultural conditioning as a way of both freeing myself, but also an avenue for collective resistance and community liberation.
Our theme for this issue is More Confidence, Less Compromise. How do you define that for yourself, and what are some pivotal moments where you had to lean into your authenticity and confidence to avoid compromising who you are to succeed?
Wow, well without knowing that was the theme for the issue…such an echo of what I shared before. I’m living less bound by perception or pre-determined ideas of me, my voice and my work. There’s been a few moments throughout my life that have helped me to be more confident and less compromising. I think earlier on in my leadership roles in Austin, Texas I was invited to sit at tables, on boards and podiums to speak to the need to rectify practices of inequity and systemic oppression. But retrospectively I think unconsciously I was doing so in a way that kept me palatable and accessible. Even the language I would use in my work around racial justice would be “I’m not here to condemn you, I’m here to challenge you.” Or “I don’t want to indict you, I want to invite you into the work of racial equity.” But the truth is, 400 years into a history of genocide, dehumanization, and intentional systemic oppression, my current posture is that of radical resistance, and radical joy.
Moving to New York has been a part of that journey. Making the decision to leave a small pond, where I was a big fish in some ways felt counterintuitive and scary. But more than that, pursuing a space and season of life that would challenge me to be more unapologetic, less risk-averse, and less controlled has helped me become confident around WHO I am, and not just WHAT I do, and the work I produce.
During Kamala Harris’s campaign, we witnessed Black women across the nation band together to fund her historic run. In your opinion, what role do Black women and women of color play in reshaping narratives around systemic injustice in the workplace, entrepreneurship, and cultural wealth? How can we adopt this coalition-building mindset consistently, beyond just political campaigns?
Sigh. Honestly my current vibe is, Black women go sit down. The truth is I think we’ve already been doing the work, we’ve already built the coalition, we’ve already designed a precedent. I am currently oscillating between this posture of resistance, resilience and rage. I think the first two have always been our story in this country. And I am exhausted that it has to be. And with the theme “more confidence, less compromise,” I kind of want Black women to sit in our posture of REST and RAGE for a minute. We will collectively resist and disrupt naturally, because it’s part of our cultural DNA, but I think it would be worth us taking a beat to give ourselves permission to not just go back to work and duty as usual and let this country know our anger and needs, and spend the time and energy to give it to ourselves and each other, and less energy given to these systems, spaces and institutions that won’t reciprocate.
As Co-Founder of Rosa Rebellion, how do you define “creative activism,” and how do you see it reshaping the way women of color advocate for justice and change?
I think the most powerful tool for disruption we have as Black women and women of color is our stories. And we know all too well the way in which our stories, our voices are silenced, siloed and severed from the collective American memory. We are watching that play out in real time with anti-DEI legislation and the erasure of our stories in our education, political and cultural practices. So for us, we’ve endeavored to create spaces that invest in and elevate the voices of women of color doing the work to create a more equitable future. I think this requires us to be innovative and creative – meaning that change must take place beyond policy and systems, it should happen in our cultural spheres. The thrust of the idea behind Rosa Rebellion centers around the concept of “creative activism,” which we define as “using whatever platform you have or whatever sphere of influence you have to integrate your activism into the work that you do on the daily.” In that way, the phrase can have a double meaning: The activism itself can be a creative pursuit, like writing, dance, storytelling, or even plant therapy, done with the activist edge of “disrupting normative systems.”
What was the most rewarding or transformative moment for you while serving on lululemon’s IDEA Global Advisory Board?
Sitting on the inaugural board of lululemon’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action) was a beautiful experience. But one, I must be honest, I sort of rolled my eyes at when I was first approached. At the time (this was 2020 right before the pandemic), I struggled to understand how sitting on a board for a brand selling leggings would be valuable to my work and the larger conversation of equity. But it was proof that cultural centers offer such beautiful and creative ways to shift paradigms.
I think my most rewarding moment was learning how to adapt my work and voice for varied cultural and geographic spaces, doing this work in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada and across the U.S., which has nuanced cultural needs. But my favorite memory is the work we did together, when lululemon came on board to be a partner for our Rebel + Rest programming helping us curate a racial trauma informed wellness retreat for more than 150 BIPOC activists.
In your opinion, how does feeling valued in our professions impact our overall well-being? What have you learned about the connection between recognition at work and personal fulfillment?
Wow, have you been talking to my therapist? Not sure I can offer any sage advice or offer a meaningful contribution here. But this intersection has been something I’ve been meditating on over the last few months. My early adult-life in Austin from age 22 – 35 was the epitome of big fish, small pond. I was thrust into leadership very early, and my work garnered a lot of attention, visibility and accolades. From magazine covers and NPR interviews to awards. While I believe I was purpose driven and those rewards weren’t motivation for me, the validation of being seen as a thought leader was valuable. It offered me a sense of validation, confidence and gusto to be a disruptor. Over the last few years my work pivoted to more behind the scenes working alongside global brands to support their ethos of equity, but that less community facing work meant less external validation or consistent affirmation of my work. I do think that has affected my sense of self and depleted a bit of my radicalness.
And while my work didn’t shift much and I came to New York with a deep community, there has been a repositioning of my relationship to attention, visibility and the value of my work. And as a kid raised with the ethos of “community servant and steward” it’s hard to acknowledge that I do want that external affirmation. So it’s a work in progress. But I do think that this “less” visible season of life has offered me the permission to move from a place of purpose and personal vision, rather than moving from a place of response to what I felt the community needed or people around me want from me. While an adjustment, that has been freeing.
We need people in the world like you who fight so hard to make sure our stories are told and voices are heard, but what you do is definitely not easy. How do you unwind, find balance and take care of Virginia?
My response to this question used to be: sweat. I am a runner and I have to move my body daily to feel good and centered. But I think in these last few years the honest truth is offering myself space for intentional stillness (which is hard for me) and community. I love to host. I love to curate spaces. And it truly offers me joy, but also just energizes me in a way to reinvest for the work I do. Now that I am settled in my little nook of Brooklyn, in 2025 I want to host more – not connected to work or labor, just my people – laughing.
What’s a quote that you live by?
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own. And I am not free as long as one person of Color remains chained.” – Audre Lorde
If you had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Oooh, this is hard! Not sure I can narrow it down. But I am a RiRi girl through and through. Fellow Bajan girlie. And as a girl who appreciates the art of dressing and clothes, I just appreciate her persona. To bring it full circle, she represents being unapologetic. So, I think she offers me a bit of an alter ego.
With your rich background in racial justice and advocacy, what’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self stepping into this work?
I think in the last few years there has been a conflation around the work of racial justice and the visibility around one’s work. Important work, meaningful work has been lost or overlooked because folks don’t have 100,000 followers on Instagram, etc. And with that I think it can be hard to feel like your work is meaningful or impactful – but it’s so important to realize that you are called to where you are called, and when walking in your purpose, that is the only affirmation you need.
