Diversity And Inclusion
In Momentum. More on Medium.
If my White classmate had a deeper understanding of critical race theory, he could’ve saved our childhood friendship
I remember the first time I saw the N-word written; someone I considered my best friend wrote it.
His name was Nick. We lived in the same neighborhood. While we were different in most respects, we both had a love for video games in common. It bonded us in the way small things tend to do for kids, White or Black.
Nick’s parents didn’t usually extend their home to his friends, but they treated me like family. I frequently slept over, playing Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, and Nintendo 64 games until the wee hours of the morning.
I moved away…
An open letter from your Black diversity consultant
First, I usually hear it in your voice. Then, I see it in your body language: the SHIFT.
We’re on a call to discuss your newfound interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion work as an organization and as a leader. The second I shift from the word inclusion to the terms anti-racism, there is a visible shift in your demeanor. And maybe you don’t notice it, but I do because it happens so much that I’m prepared to expect it.
You didn’t reach out to me because you want to talk about race — you don’t want to unpack White…
Beware of committees and ‘baby steps’ — empty promises further traumatize Black employees
Consider some of the things that have been done in response to the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department:
- Destruction of confederate statues and monuments
- Renaming and rebranding our favorite sports teams and products
- Painting streets to honor Black Lives Matter
To be clear, these are all positive moves. But they’re symbolic. Symbols are powerful and significant, but the danger is when they take the place of real change and give a false impression that real change is being enacted. They can remove the pressure on leaders while doing little for the affected groups.
Further, symbolic gestures…
As new DEI roles abound, don’t forget that the system is broken, but it’s not on Black hires to fix it
Corporate hiring systems have been failing Black people for far too long. Recent calls for diversity and inclusion highlight the problems that arise when companies wake up and realize they are lacking in that area — one problem is the rush (though necessary) to make a change and the effect it can have on Black hires. There’s the tokenism, the otherness, being a “first” when hired into a leadership role, and the “burden of being a single person meant to shift equity and inclusion within an organization.”
“Remember that you were never the impostor. The true impostor was the corporate…
Momentum
A blog from Medium about the fight against anti-Black racism.
