Our Story
Mission Statement
To pass the mic and elevate the voices and experiences of those who have been silenced for generations
Vision Statement
To impact social change, destigmatize mental illness, work to abolish negative bias against all 'isms', while promoting inclusivity through social media, education, and ultimately, political reform
Values
In this space, our core values are kindness, respect, safety, diversity, and acceptance.
Not only do we want all to feel as if they belong here, but to know that they are a valued member of our community whose voices will be listened to. It is not a secret that our country’s laws and belief systems have often ostracized those who are deemed “different,” whether that be in regard to who you love, how you identify, skin color, and so much more. That will not be tolerated in this space. And to ensure that in this diverse setting all feel loved, welcomed, and respected, we have made a commitment to working with minority-owned businesses whose morals align with our own, providing resources that promote a sense of self-acceptance and pride, as well as welcoming humility. Just like you, we are here to learn and will always be striving to do better, so we welcome criticisms, concerns, and questions.
Our Story
Our story began in 1992 when Raymond Scott and Robyn Shapiro were introduced by a mutual friend. Their love was instantaneous and unbreakable. Raymond (or “The Ray” as he referred to himself) was a 32-year-old, Black son of a Baptist minister. Robyn was a 22-year-old, white Jewish girl. Their love grew stronger in and around the passive-aggressive comments and behaviors, the thinly veiled disdain, the outward glares and remarks from strangers, and Robyn’s eviction from her apartment for dating a Black man. Despite the storm around them, they married in 1994, and created their family: Sydney was born in 2000, Jordan in 2003, and Charlotte in 2005.
Ray’s personality, charisma, story-telling abilities, and life philosophies made him a magnet to all who crossed his path. He had a wisdom that belied his years. His continuous search and capacity for personal growth were inspiring and something to which we should all aspire.
In 2003, Ray was diagnosed with renal cancer and began waging his own personal war for survival. He fought the good fight but succumbed in 2005, a few months after the birth of their last daughter. Although we could not have known it at the time, that devastating end became the beginning of our story…
While Rayze and Messy Mindfulness may appear to have been born from tragedy, it is Ray’s legacy and our hope and healing that are building this platform. And although the family has come to understand the loss now as a part of who they have become, all struggled to manage the trauma at first.
After her father’s death, Sydney developed depression, PTSD, and anxiety, which later resulted in self-harm, suicidal ideation, and an eating disorder. As her illnesses only worsened, Robyn recognized Sydney needed the opportunity to heal, and she was admitted to a residential schooling program.
There, Sydney learned more about herself and others. It quickly came to her attention that the other Black and Latina girls were not as fortunate as she had been and often lacked access to proper mental health resources and interventions. Sydney was saddened by this and as years passed, and 2020 erupted, Sydney and Robyn knew it was time to call upon Ray’s wisdom and act. In hopes of destigmatizing mental illness and providing affordable mental health support to underserved communities, this mother and daughter duo calls upon life experiences and academic knowledge to create Rayze.
Our Founders
Sydney Scott
Co-Founder and CEO
Sydney Scott is an incredibly passionate young woman, who is driven by her past experiences, desire to learn, and hopes of creating a more equitable world.
After losing her father, Sydney began experiencing extreme depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Although most would think trauma and mental illness are hardships, it provided Sydney with the empathy and kindness she needed to pursue this work wholeheartedly as she began to learn more and more about the oppressive systems that govern our country. Her time at a psychiatric hospital, residential schooling program, and continued therapy combined with volunteer work and exploration of scholarly articles in pursuit of our nation’s true history guided Sydney to develop coping skills that allowed her to harness her experiences to her advantage.
Sydney’s insight and newfound knowledge encouraged her to create a space that calls people in, rather than out and is accepting of all. This is not just Sydney’s career, but her lifelong commitment to strive to always do better.
Robyn Scott
Co-Founder and COO
Robyn had a successful career in her early 20’s as an Operations Manager. She was mentored by an entrepreneur and had the privilege of learning about building and running a business. She developed a broad range of experience and is highly skilled at everything from bookkeeping to human resources, mentoring and managing teams, to financial analytics, creating and streamlining processes, and implementing software.
Throughout her career, Robyn continued to develop her operations and leadership skills. She happily set aside her career in 2000 to begin the job of her dreams: being a mom / sovereign ruler of the house. Ray’s death necessitated a return to work, his words though always echoing in her mind: “Look at how hard you work for other people. Can you imagine how hard you would work for yourself?” Robyn is finally taking Ray’s advice and is honored to have the privilege of working with her daughter, Sydney, on this especially important mission.
Volunteerism has always been important to her. Robyn is quick to laughter and sees joy in everything. She lives a life of gratitude which enables her to be a key component in bringing our mission to life.