"I grew up in Philadelphia, in an all-Black neighbourhood. There were generally good people on the block, but there was a fair amount of joblessness and violence. When I was 12, we moved to a predominantly white suburb. And by predominantly, I mean almost exclusively. While there were some challenges from some students and teachers, overwhelmingly it was a good experience. It was safer there.
The murder of George Floyd was just off the back of several other deaths of Black people in the United States. I felt helpless, like I always do. What surprised me, in a good way, was the global protests that followed and how diverse they were. There was an acknowledgement of systemic racism that didn’t seem to exist before, and non-Blacks seemed to be listening in a different way. That’s encouraging. We need to leverage this moment, where so many individuals are inspired to do something.
Leaders can play a critical role in fostering empathy within an organization, along with a genuine appreciation for the challenges faced by underrepresented groups. They should also be purposeful in their advocacy of those employees—helping to influence and create opportunities that will help them advance, such as learning experiences, promotions and new roles. These are just a few ways leaders can begin to dismantle systemic challenges for people of colour and women.
Winning.