Do You Have an Anti-Racism Plan?
By Katy Murray and Upasna Bhadhal, Catalyst Collective
Exploring how racism and white privilege show up inside your organisation can feel like a monumental task - it will be hard, messy, and complex. There won’t be one way to work with this - you just have to start where you are.
You may not intentionally be harming Black people and non-black POC (people of colour) in your workplace, but if you’re not consciously doing something different, then you’re part of perpetuating the systems + cultures that do cause harm.
We know this is confronting. Stay with us.
It’s like the sea we’re swimming in, the air we’re breathing.
It’s not realistic to assume that because you’re not overtly racist, you haven’t also imbibed these coded cultural messages since you were born. Everybody has.
It’s not your fault.
But it IS your responsibility to do something about it.
Still with us?
If you’re asking ‘but what can I do?!’
We recommend taking time to do your own reading, research, reflection and allowing yourself to go deeper with this work.
Here’s some pointers:
1. Check your news and social media feed, check what media you’re reading, listening to, watching. Open up your echo chamber. Whose voices are you listening to? Start with the amazing writers, educators and artists below, see where it takes you.
2. Open up conversations with your employees and team mates. What is their lived experience of how racism and white supremacy shows up in your workplace?
3. Listen. Listen. Listen.
4. Allow yourself to hear the stories. Stay open. Don’t defend. Don’t judge. Notice all the white fragility coming up as you deeply listen.
5. Feel the feelings, yes all the pain, fear, anger + shame. Don’t get stuck or go back into comfort.
6. Don’t ask people of colour to labour for you. This means your Black friends, colleagues and employees are not your personal tutor or coach to help you with this work. Respect boundaries on social media (e.g. stay out of DMs). Do your own research + reading. Pay anti-racism educators for your learning, join programmes.
7. Don't burden POC with your experiences as you do your anti-racism work. This isn't helpful, POC know exactly what the consequences feel like, they don't need your emotional angst or White Guilt too.
8. Be courageous and call out anti-Blackness when you see it. For change to happen, you have to give up the privilege you disproportionately benefit from.
As you listen and learn, your next step actions will emerge.
See our next article ‘how to talk about race in the workplace’ for some conversation starters.
Need some further help?
At Catalyst Collective we work with clients to explore these topics, we create space for these deeper conversations to happen, so that you can create your own solutions and bring about change. We’re specialists in supporting you to lead transformational change around inclusion inside your organisation. We’re each doing our own work to unpack our privilege and to integrate our anti-racist practice.
We offer a free 30 minute consultation, with no obligation, where you can explore your ideas to create a more inclusive workplace. Connect with us here to book your slot.
We share regular free inclusion resources, tips and strategies – sign up via www.catalyst-collective/com/sign-up
Further resources:
Podcasts
Inclusion Works from Hive Learning
The Will to Change with Jennifer Brown
The Element of Inclusion with Jonathan Ashong Lamptey
Racism at Work with Professor Binna Kandola OBE
Intersectionality Matters! from The African American Policy Forum
Books
Layla Saad’s book Me and White Supremacy is a must read
Trusted Black Girl by Roianne Nedd takes a look at the types of experiences black women have in the UK workplace.
Sway - Unravelling Unconscious Bias by Dr Pragya Agarwal
Afua Hirsch Brit(ish)
Dolly Chugh The Person You Mean to Be - How Good People Fight Bias
Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum
I know why the Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou
How to be Anti-Racist By Dr. Ibram X Kendi
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
What to Watch
13th - Netflix - Ava Duverny
When They See Us - Netflix - Ava Duverny
Blue Eyed Experiment - Jane Elliot - Youtube
The Racial Wealth Gap, Explained S1,E1 - Netflix
Sign up to receive Catalyst Collective inclusive leadership resources HERE