Top 8 Best Practices For Companies and Organizations Doing Racial Equity Work [+ Guide]
– Or
How not to be a postmodern colonial organization
Delivering a workshop in Bahrain on managing bias.
Photo Credit: Lisa Dalloo Metzger - 2017
In recent weeks, more and more companies have shared public announcements and solidarity statements that call out racial injustice. “Black Lives Matters,” has become ubiquitous and more widely embraced as communities around the world organize peaceful protest, influencers create resourceful content, and established thought leaders receive the notoriety and recognition that once eluded them while they bravely called out into the wilderness in years past.
My own experience as a Black woman navigating predominantly White spaces, leading and launching a variety of racial equity initiatives, facilitating discussions and advising boards of directors has given me a keen sense of awareness and a race-ometer. It’s an internal barometer that lets me know if a person is just kissing the Blarney Stone or “all about that action” when they post about racism.
If you’ve found yourself posting black squares, retweeting or sharing info reels to your social media platforms, or sending out letters on behalf of your company to express concern for the plight of black and brown people, you’re not alone.
But what next?
Because the retweets, squares and letters are only the beginning. Lucky for you, I’ve outlined 8 things to consider as you embark on this racial equity and social justice journey. The following best practices are designed to help you take those essential next steps and equip your organization with the mindset to navigate the way forward.
Read to the end for some useful tools to help as you get started!
Photo Credit: nappy.co
1. Understand why this work matters
There’s nothing worse than shifting your focus to a topic because it’s the soup du jour and you want to get in with the trend. Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) are tired of being scrutinized as the other and we’re tired of being seen as a helpless, monolithic, group in need of a white savior. We’re not here to be a convenient hashtag.
So, why are you doing this work? What are your intentions?
Sure, there is a need. And, due to historic oppression and systemic racism, more often than not, low-income, communities of color experience the greatest disparities across the board (health, education, income, employment, housing, criminal sentencing, etc.). But something about predominantly white institutions going out into the ‘wilderness’ to ‘fix the problem,’ hearkens back to the days of colonialism and the work of missionaries who went out to “save the people.” It triggers a certain embedded angst.
Between the news, social media, and personal conversations, you’ve probably been exposed to your blind spots and implicit biases. So I encourage you to read those books, watch those documentaries and presentations and challenge yourself and colleagues to better understand why racial equity, social justice and anti-racism matters and ultimately make your actions speak louder than words.
Questions to Consider (for your leadership and staff):
Why have we decided to prioritize racial equity at this time?
Do we, as a company, understand why this work matters?
2. Look within
Delivering a workshop in Bahrain on managing bias.
Photo Credit: Lisa Dalloo Metzger - 2017
So, look in the mirror and ask yourself how you’ll benefit from doing this work. No, I’m not proposing selfish ambition and brownie points. I’m talking about the return on investment and ultimately the individual and collective growth as a result of becoming an anti-racist organization.
When I consider working for a company or organization, I not only think about its reputation and track record, I also think of the environment, culture, values and my long-term growth. I consider what I’ll get out of it as much as what I can do to help the organization achieve its mission.
So, why does this work matter to YOU and your organization? Don’t just ask what’s in it for the people you’re looking to serve. That’s not the only question to ask, because that posits you as the arbiter of the solutions and maintains the dominant culture power imbalance. And that puts you at risk for quitting when things get tough instead of remaining open to change and growth.
I can assure you the people you seek to serve will have the discernment to take note of your agenda and what you may be trying to get out of your efforts. And they can tell when you’re humble and ready to learn, or arrogant and ready to colonize the cause.
“Instead, ask yourself what’s in it for you and your staff, because by virtue of doing the work, you will likely become a better person, a better organization, more effective in your relationships and how you carry out your mission.”
Questions to Consider (for your leadership and staff):
What is my understanding of race and racism?
When was the last time I had a conversation with a friend, family or colleague about race? What did we discuss? How did I react? What was the outcome?
3. Assess the corporate and organizational culture
3.a Who is at the table? Staff:
Looking beyond the “edge of the Earth” and into unchartered possibility
Photo credit: Acasia Olson - Cape Finisterre - Galicia, Spain, 2019
For the majority of my professional and academic journey, I have been a minority.
In some settings, I’ve been ‘the token’ - the one person of color at the organization or in the classroom that supposedly proves the company promotes ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion.’ But to be a token doesn’t necessarily mean that your ideas or values are readily accepted and invited.
More often than not, you’re expected to be quiet, be happy that you made it, accept the norm, assimilate and keep everyone comfortable with your presence. And, unfortunately, too many institutions treat you as if you speak for the needs and perspectives of men and women who look like you, as if you’re the racial representative or racial ambassador.
So, as you do ‘external’ work to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities (e.g. implement programs, projects and initiatives), and engender racial equity, look within your organization.
Review your organizational makeup including the people, (hiring) practices, policies and prevailing perspectives.
Having a racially diverse organization helps, but it goes beyond that. It’s important to have a work environment where all parties can thrive and be heard. Not only is it necessary to hire and retain staff of color, but people of color must know that they can work without the burden of micromanagement, extra scrutiny for their decisions or mistakes and censorship when presenting opposing viewpoints. Assimilation, acculturation and tokenism are real issues. And they are signs of postmodern, organizational colonialism.
Questions to Consider (for your leadership and board):
What is the racial makeup of our company or organization? In the past decade, how many people of color have we hired? How many of these team members are still here?
Are we the community we want to serve? Do we look like or have staff who come from the populations we want to impact? Do my colleagues reflect my customer base?
“Do you seek people who fit or can easily be assimilated and acculturated into your organization? Or do you want someone who can blow your mind and take your organization, industry and field to higher heights because their lived experience brings flavor, texture, color and new tones? ”
3.b Who is at the table: Leadership and Board Members:
“A Seat at the Table”
photo credit: unsplash
Is your leadership devoted to this topic? Truly devoted? Are they resistant or are they willing to take the risk? Do they suggest that the “staff isn’t ready,” or are they ready to work with all staff and find creative ways to promote and champion total, all-hands-on-deck, support?
We live in a hierarchical society that says if the leadership and C-suite doesn’t initiate or endorse the decision, the need for change falls flat.
It’s not easy and this specific line of work is not just ‘work’ in the conventional sense. There’s a chance that people will rebel, resist and even resign from your organization.
There’s also a STRONG possibility that you’ll never grow as an organization if you make decisions without actively pursuing and encouraging a wide variety of perspectives.
“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking”
I think it’s a disservice for staff not to see or experience people of color with decision-making authority. Why?
Because it breeds and feeds the prevailing assumptions that people of color are inept and can’t make decisions for themselves let alone for larger bodies of people. It feeds that postmodern colonial culture that says it’s normal for the dominant group to have all the answers and take care of communities of color better than they can.
Does your leadership team or board look like this? | Photo credit: unsplash
Now, let's talk about your board of directors. The majority of businesses operate with a board of directors (BOD) who provide oversight and approval of activities in keeping with the company mission and stakeholder interests.
In years past, I have had to diplomatically counter the resistance from leaders who questioned the value of training or the need for the board of directors to embrace both the internal and external work of reducing racial inequity.
I have also had the privilege of serving as a strategic and racial equity advisor to a number of boards and committees. I remember the encouragement I felt whenever the CEO, fellow board members and committee were on board with calling out systemic and structural racism as a step in tackling racial disparities.
It’s easy to say you’re an anti-racist organization or all about racial equity on paper. But what what about your track record? And what percentage of your upper leadership and board membership reflects the communities you intend to partner with to bring about sustainable and positive social outcomes?
Questions to Consider (for your leadership and staff):
Has our organization or company ever had a person of color in upper management or senior leadership?
What is our board’s racial and ethnic make up?
4. Look Externally
Unity in diversity | photo credit: unsplash
Your power, influence and sway is not important if you don't have solid partnerships and authentic relationships. Do a quick scan or assessment of your business partnerships and client demographics. Make an actual list and designate the organizations where the majority of their staff and involvement are in majority white communities and those where a substantial percentage (at least 35%) of their staff are people of color serving communities of color.
Call it out and make it plain because you’ll need to see who you’re working with.
Now think about how often you’ve worked with them and invited them to the table. Think of how often you’ve gone to their events out of a genuine interest in their work and relationship building not just for the photo op and the “year in review highlight reel.”
If you don’t invite them to the table, or only seat them in a folding chair on the edge of the room away from the discussion, but want to do this work, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
These organizations have direct access and relationship with communities of color. In many way, they are the cultural gatekeepers. In order to reach and support communities of color, most often you need to partner and have buy in from the people whom they trust. But do the gatekeepers trust you, or do they see you as an opportunistic, postmodern colonial organization with an agenda?
Questions to Consider (for your leadership and staff):
How many of my business (corporate, organizational, community) partners primarily serve or work with people of color? What about my brand ambassadors?
How often do I actively interact with organizations, companies, business serving communities of color?
5. Determine your plan for accountability and sustainability
No vision without a plan
photo credit: nappy.co
If you truly want to be a company or organization that is known as a champion racial equity and social justice, then awareness, training and follow through are essential.
One ½ day training won’t cut it and assigning one person to complete the training and report back the plan of action to the staff is a thing of the past. It’s time to get right or get left behind.
This is where organizational culture is key. If your staff and decision makers value racial equity, diversity and inclusion, not just in words but in deed, you’re likely to have more resources and support to get it done. Which means that if and when staff and leadership change you won’t have to start all over and reacquaint people with the rationale behind this work. New staff will be expected to participate in in-person training and established staff will understand how essential it is to consistently invest in the work.
I typically prioritize an organizational needs assessment to identify strengths and gaps and to establish a baseline or starting point from which to grow. I would also look into developing or identifying organizational standards and metrics, including: relationships with companies and organizations representing communities of color within each department, program, division, etc.; staff and board diversity; recruitment and retention practices; professional development, etc
The goal is to make sure everyone with decision making power (and that’s everyone) has an equity lens so that when they make decisions, they are aware of the multiple considerations needed to develop, plan and execute their ideas.
Things change and they should. This process is one of transformation. But your goal is to keep this from becoming a fad or treating it like an emergency. If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.
NOTE: If this is a new or overwhelming concept, don’t fret. I’m not only sharing this list as a best practice, but also as an open invitation to help guide you in the work. As someone who has launched equity programs and a national campaign, I’m motivated to help you along the way and I’ve taken it a step further to provide you with this free guide to get you started.
Questions to consider:
How will we create a culture that prioritizes racial equity and anti-racism not just on paper but in intentional actions across the org chart? What are we willing to do to ensure our staff and leadership develop a racial equity lens in their work?
Do we have comprehensive, required staff training on racial equity included in our budget? Does our leadership endorse it and communicate it to staff?
What does our mission, vision and goal statement say about racial equity? Is it clearly and boldly written out in our strategic plan, or do people have to get an ancient magnifying glass and look at it under the light of the full moon on the summer solstice for it to reveal itself at the stroke of midnight?
6. Determine how you’re going to deal with “the issues”
Are we fighting for or against progress?
Photo credit: unsplash
So you’ve done your needs assessment, initiated staff training and conversations, and even have plans for revamping your hiring practices and strategic plans.
But wait, there’s more.
This work brings out the best and the worst in us. The best because, by virtue of running this ultra marathon, we build stamina. We become more informed, compassionate, aware and considerate. We’re learning how to honor everyone’s story, acknowledge the history of race and racism in America and how it impacts everyone’s reality. But, it’s not without its heavy lifting.
The muscle must be broken down in order to be built up.
Some even equate the process of “unpacking racial injustice and racism,” to “ opening pandora’s box,”. It will bring up a lot of things for many people. Some embarrassing, and most requiring a culture of trust and courageous spaces. It’s like biting down on a decaying tooth. As long as we chew on the other side, it doesn’t hurt, but until we extract it, the pain will be unbearable and the decay will worsen and spread.
If we’re asking people to be open to the process, honest with themselves, and vulnerable, they will likely be uncomfortable. Some will fight for progress, and others might fight against it. But do people have confidence that they can be vulnerable?
“Sure we can create safe spaces, but lets also create courageous spaces. Because this work requires courage in the face of discomfort. So, will you allow yourself to get comfortable with the discomfort?”
And once the needs assessment, trainings, quarterly conversations are underway, you’ll need to be prepared for things to come to the surface. Understand that, while these organizational tools are designed to help you make sense of the issues on a cerebral level, there are underlying things on the heart and internal level. When the truth is revealed, a lot of people will need to heal.
Are you willing to take that on? Do you have a plan in place or an idea of what that requires?
Questions to Consider (for your leadership):
What resources or considerations have we identified to help people process the heavy nature of this subject?
Are we willing to go there as a company or organization? If so, what does that look like? If not, what does that mean?
7. Identify and purge the excuses
“Sick and tired of being sick and tired” - Fannie Lou Hamer
Photo credit: nappy.co
The work of examining and undoing racism is going to be difficult and it won’t happen overnight. Again, staff may or may not stick to it and organizationally, you’ll have to decide which direction you want to take. But if it was easy and fun, we’d already be there. Every organization, company and institution in the U.S. would have already done and figured this out by now, right?
“What if some of our staff are going through death in the family, issues with their kids, a divorce or struggling with fertility issues?”
With all due respect, each and every one of us has gone through something heavy, demanding and painful in our lives and in the midst of a stressful work season. But those trials make us more resilient and equip us with the mindset, in most cases, to push through impossible barriers. While I think it’s important to be compassionate and patient and extend grace at all times in this process, the storms of life are no excuse to delay action.
Because, people of color are also carrying a heavy burden of fatigue, exhaustion and traumas from repeated acts of violence against black and brown bodies.
“Doing the work of becoming an anti-racist company, business and organization really does make you a better person and institution. It helps build your awareness, ability to engage with and relate to different people, and work out and work through a variety of issues together.”
This is why you have to understand your why? Because the work and journey is messy, heavy, and slippery like a fish out of water. It’s tough, raw, painful and requires humility and vulnerability. But the worst thing one could do is make a list of excuses on how and why not to do it and decide that their organization isn’t strong enough to take on the challenge. Don’t sell yourself or your company short, especially if you espouse to be progressive and innovative.
Questions to Consider (for your leadership and staff):
What are some common concerns or excuses that may come up from staff and leadership around this work?
How have we dealt with growing pains and resistance to change in the past?
8. Cultivate Patience
The path to change is neither easy, nor direct, but it transforms you.
Photo Credit: Acasia Olson, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Spain - 2019
Last, but not least, the work of anti-racism and racial equity is a long-term process, not an instant pot meal or a microwave dinner. It’s a journey, even a pilgrimage for some. The road ahead is like a (Spartan) ultra marathon, even an Iron Man endurance race, so don’t train for it like you would a sprint or 4x4 relay. Racism, systemic racism, racial bias et al., did not arrive overnight. Neither did the social, educational, economic and health disparities that are its byproducts.
Decades and centuries of power inequities, legalized oppression and cultural terrorism have resulted in chronically disenfranchised communities that encounter the Sisyphean dilemma of rising up from the depths of despair in a society that is still imbalanced.
That said, rushing to action without intentional, collaborative and thoughtful planning is like building a mansion out of hay and thinking it won’t burn up in a fire or get swept away in a storm.
Perfectionism, rushing and “getting it right,” are defining characteristics of dominant culture and traditionally predominantly white organizations. There is often a lack of embracing the process and the journey. Instead there is a need to push out results and “be the first,” or “get it done yesterday”.
While I understand the urgency to “hop on the moving train,” and the fact that this should have been done decades or centuries ago, you will not be wise to throw something together, put a #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on it, and think that you’ll be invited to the BBQ and afterparty. That’s not how it works.
Pandering is not a fast-pass to progress.
Marker on the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) Pilgrimage
Photo Credit: Acasia Olson - Camino de Santiago, 2019
In my experience, slow and steady does win the race.
“Why?” you might ask.
Well...what happened to the hare when it rushed ahead and thought it had everything in the bag? I’ll tell you what happened.
It got tired, arrogant, mocked the tortoise for its slow pace, and assuming it had won the race (before crossing the finish line), it decided to take a nap! (the nerve). Now the tortoise, who was obviously slower, was also consistent, focused, determined, wise and stayed awake. And he made it across that finish line.
That, my friend, is what you want.
Questions to Consider (for your leadership and staff)
How does my company or organization typically move through projects?
Are we prepared for the long haul? Have we accepted the reality that we will make mistakes, won’t get it “right” all the time and have to invest time in order to be our best selves for the road ahead?
“Slow and steady wins the race” - Aesop
Photo Credit: nappy.co
And there you have it! Easy peasy right?
Well, if you’ve gotten this far, I’d like to “thank you” for your time with a little bonus. As promised, here’s my free resource: “The Essential Guide to Greatness: Practical Next Steps for Companies and Organizations Interested in Racial Equity Work”. In it, I highlight the top things you and your company can do today to help you become a champion of racial equity and social justice, including practical questions and space to help you think through this work.
Looking for more? Let’s hop on a free discovery call to walk you through the process outlined in this post and to better understand how I can best serve your company and organization. Click here to take a quick and confidential survey to tell me more about your company and what you need.
My expertise includes, but is not limited to:
Individual and Group Coaching
Organizational Needs Assessment
Strategic Planning and Evaluation
Facilitation
Creating Racial Equity Teams and Community
And more
Here’s an interview from several years back that elaborates on my passion and vision for racial justice, equity and healing. I’d be honored to assist you on the journey ahead!