Are you in this group of seven? You should be
I used to think I was one of the good guys.
I’ve never said anything racist about a co-worker. I’ve never accused anyone of playing the race card or dismissed someone for being a token minority hire.
But I’ve stayed silent and never asked how.
How was it possible that I never had a Black professor or teaching assistant during my entire four-year undergraduate degree?
How is it possible that none of the people who’ve ever interviewed me for a part-time, summer or full-time job have been Black?
How is it possible in my career that I’ve never reported to a Black supervisor or served under a Black CEO, president or executive director despite working for some major employers?
How is it possible that I’ve only ever worked with one Black colleague in public relations over the past 27 years?
And how is it possible that I’ve gone to corporate and community events, summits, award galas, workshops and conferences and not seen any Black people in the audience or speaking from the stage?
I believe in diversity, equity and inclusion. I loathe racists and white supremacists.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth. I’ve cared but just not enough to speak out when the racism was systemic.
And I’ve never wondered how I would’ve fared at school or in my career without the benefit of a whole lot of white male privilege.
Silence is no longer an option. We are all seeing what’s wrong and it’s time to start doing what’s right.
We can get started at work by becoming allies for colleagues from under-represented groups.
“There are many opportunities in every workplace to listen, learn and take action as allies,” says Karen Catlin, author of Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces.
“Your first tip for being an ally is to be open to learning, improving and changing your opinion.”
Catlin says there are seven kinds of allies:
1. Sponsors vocally support the work of coworkers and help boost their standing and reputations. 2. Champions defer to colleagues in meetings, events and conferences to send a public and meaningful message.
3. Amplifiers make sure marginalized voices are heard and respected.
4. Advocates use their power and influence to bring peers from under-represented groups into exclusive circles.
5. Scholars listen and learn as much as possible about the issues facing their colleagues, do their own research and seek out relevant information.
6 Upstanders are the opposite of bystanders. When they see racism, they make it their mission to eradicate it.
7. Confidants create safe spaces where colleagues can talk about their fears, frustrations and needs.
Catlin draws a distinction between allies and knights. If you opt for a quick, easy and simple one-off fix for a colleague, you’re being a knight in shining armour. Your colleagues don’t need a White saviour.
What they need are allies who’ll do what’s right rather than what’s easy. Ending systemic racism and building an inclusive workplace is hard work and demands a long-term commitment.
“Being an ally is a journey,” says Catlin. “This may seem frustrating at first because it’s tempting to want to earn an ally badge and consider oneself to be a lifetime member of the Genuinely Good Human Beings Club.
“Instead of feeling frustrated that you’ll never reach some mythical, fully fledged ally status, remember that we’re learning together. The ally journey is an enlightening and worthwhile one, even though it’s a perpetually ongoing one.”
Silent racism needs to end. Our colleagues and communities deserve better. We need to listen, learn and then act and advocate as true and trusted allies.
Catlin shows us how to start the journey.
Jay Robb serves as communications manager with McMaster University’s Faculty of Science, lives in Hamilton and has reviewed business books since 1999.