T
he business world has gone through some significant shake ups with social movements in the recent past. #MeToo shed light on the way that so many women have been treated. Black Lives Matter has lifted up Black voices and shown how much they are hurt and harmed. The killings of Asian people in connection with COVID-19 related racism. The striving and sacrifice of Native American water protectors fighting to keep their lands clean. Mexican and South American families getting ripped apart in a hideous border policy. All of these movements and many others have intertwined with social media. And being connected with social media means that the companies who interact with those groups are also in the spotlight.
Here’s the thing. Even if you don’t understand why people are riled up, and what all of these folks mean, diversity is the way of the future. The planet is changing, and mass movements of people are only going to continue as time passes, meaning more diversity and mixture of folks. It can be hard and complex to take a good look at yourself and your company, and the way that you interact with BIPOC employees and outside people. It is uncomfortable to hear, and may make you or others in your organization feel very defensive.But making an effort to foster real, top down change will set you up for success both now and in the future. In addition, you’ll be giving yourself a far wider scope to find truly perfect people for your company. It’s a well documented fact how many organizations avoid ‘ethnic’ names on resumes. You may not even realize that you do it! That’s how sneaky internal biases can be. Or if the company does hire a BIPOC candidate, they’re the only one in the office. Show the kind of values you can be proud of both inside and outside your organization and look for the kind of people you’d overlook before.
Plus, it’s the right thing to do.
So what’s the fastest way for a company to jump on the diversity train? Start with inside hires. If you want to hire consultants to help shift things, make sure that whomever is on that team is BIPOC. Too many times there will be a table full of white folks, and 2 people of color. The norm isn’t enough any longer. Yeah, there’s lots to learn, but it’s the difference between keeping an unfair system and making a true difference.
One of the first things to learn is why being colorblind is wrong. That probably feels strange to read. Most white folks were taught as kids that we should “not see color” and just treat everyone the same. But the reality is when we are ignoring color, we are missing the unique challenges and pains that BIPOC are going through. Justice and good values means that instead of colorblindness-equality, we should strive for equity. Equity means giving resources to the people who need it so they can have the same opportunities as everyone else.
Ask the BIPOC folks in your company what their specific needs are, and just accept them. If a Black women doesn’t want questions about her hair, or an Asian woman doesn’t want people mumbling pretend Asian language gibberish at her, those requests are valid and reasonable. There are a hundred examples like the above, some more racist in the way that white folks are used to seeing, some harder for the average person to understand. But all of them are just as real and valid as anyone else’s issue. And just the same, don’t make your BIPOC employees explain racial justice to every white person in the company. Ask who has the space and time for that kind of conversation and then PAY them or another BIPOC teacher to educate your company on diversity and racism in the workplace. For white folks, it’s a topic of hot topic or interest, for a BIPOC person, it’s about their every day life itself. It’s about the harm done to them personally, or to people they know. It’s neither a light or an easy conversation.
It’s not possible for white people to completely understand the BIPOC experience. Sadly, the kind of hurts that those types of actions can cause are things that get dismissed far too often. You don’t have to understand how someone is feeling to accept that they are being hurt–and that is the core of what can help people understand the kinds of changes needed. Company values should be to encourage understanding and cultural exchange, but to accept that regardless, if someone says ‘please don’t do this’, to accept and move on. This is also a conversation that will never truly be over. Race is an extremely complex issue, and the nuances of policy and company life will always need revisions to greater understanding.
The second major way your company can get on the diversity train is to connect with diverse voices! Social media influencers are of as many backgrounds and perspectives as there are people. Recent social media campaigns like #sharethemicnow have given you an awesome way to start. Turn over your channels to influencers that are BIPOC and allow them to highlight their movement, their work, and they in turn will draw attention to your company simply by being there. It’s likely that you can find an influencer that relates to your company in some way in their project or interests, so you can cultivate that connection. There’s no limit on the kind of partnerships you can create. More well known organizations like the NAACP and many others are out there for you to build bridges with. Make giving a company value-and lead from the executive level, not an employee drive.
The most important thing about these actions, both internal and external in your company, is truth. These days people care about companies doing what they say they will, and displaying their values in action as well as with words. If you make a big statement about making diversity a part of your company, actually make the change. News and information can leak out any time and anywhere, and with how easy it is to be anonymous, you can never stop it. (You’ll look even worse if you try.) Whether it’s internal experiences as an employee, or an external one as a customer, when you don’t take action, people will notice. And the longer it takes for any real action to occur, the more people will notice. That’s the way that reputations are changing as time passes. Make the changes now, and stand up for what’s right, and make it top down truth.
When you’re looking for organizations to connect your company with, make sure that the leaders are of the population in question. It’s unfortunately not uncommon for organizations to say they are for this or that group, but to have no real connection with the minority in question. Influencer’s aren’t immune to this too, more than one has collected money that didn’t end up where they said they were going to send it. Thankfully, online research is easy, and just like with your company, these people will have backgrounds and information available online also. The following links are some BIPOC organizations that will help you get started making your diverse connections today.