Speaking up: Pushing Past Silence for Your Black Employees

As our nation’s long history of racial inequity and injustice comes into the spotlight once again on a national scale, some of us are left struggling to know what to say and what to do. Many of us, especially fellow white people, are frozen in silence, in fear of saying the wrong thing, of creating more harm than good. Silence, however, speaks volumes; it does not go unnoticed.

Finding the right way to speak up and step up is imperative for leaders to do right now and in the future. A statement from the top, condemning the senseless murders and blatant disregard for Black people in America, based solely on the color of their skin, is not controversial; it is not political; it is imperative.

Below are some helpful talking points and action steps for leaders to get started:

Be Vulnerable

This is a time when leaders need to exhibit vulnerability. By doing so, they allow for other leaders, managers, and employees to do the same. Leaders don’t, and won’t, have all of the answers, and it’s important for them to recognize and acknowledge that.

Avoid Colorblindness

“We’re all in this together” is not helpful during these times. This is a time to speak up and show support specifically for the Black community. All lives cannot matter until Black lives matter. This is not the time to use watered-down buzzwords or phrases like “diversity” or even “People of Color,” but instead “Black” – with a capital B.

Resist Distractions

Now more than ever some of us, particularly white people, are willing to turn away, disengage, or wish away the challenges of confronting and dismantling systemic and outright racism. We must acknowledge that Black, Brown, and Indigenous people in America face daily indignities and endangerment of their lives, especially during our current health crisis. They don’t get to opt-out, and neither should white folks.

Engage Existing Stakeholders

Draw from resources such as the company Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and race-related Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs). Have these groups review messages before sending them to all staff. Encourage them to draft their own messages as a follow-up, creating guidance for fellow leaders around anti-racism work within the organization. But recognize that these groups need support and time for healing as well.

Humanize the Workplace

Work with EBRGs to help cultivate opportunities for connection, prioritizing Black employees. Consider allowing work time in support of this space. What is deemed as work-related and “professional” in today’s workplace is often upholding whiteness, white supremacy, and the status quo.

Do More Than Performative Measures

We need action over hashtags. Stand in solidarity by accelerating action. Consider making financial contributions personally as a leader, and as an organization, to Black-run organizations doing racial equity and justice work. Look into supporting policy change. Get involved in the community. Diversify the Board. So that the next time a company post includes #blacklivesmatter, it means something.

Say Their Names

Name the Black people in America who have tragically lost their lives, including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and many more. Be direct. Take a stance. By dancing around the topic at hand, a leader is exhibiting their reluctance to really “go there” when it matters most.

Encourage Employees to Take the Time They Need

Give employees explicit permission to take time to care for themselves and their loved ones in coping with trauma. During this time, people may be reluctant to take time off or ask for accommodations at the risk of them seeming less dependable or essential.

Proactively Provide Support

Questions like, “What additional resources do you need right now?” can be helpful in finding tangible ways to support employees during this time, but many employees would rather be informed of what resources are already available or being made available. Does HR have a system set up for fielding questions? Can DEI Council members offer support? Is there an Employee Assistance Program in place?

Bring Others Along

Build personal and organization-wide awareness by sharing resources that advance equity, advocacy, allyship, and self-care.

Some examples include:

• How to Be An Antiracist

• Checklist for White Allies

• What Can We Learn About Anti-Racism from the Deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor?

• Anti-Racism Resources for White People

• White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh

• Virtual Mental Health Resources Supporting Black People Right Now

• Radical Self Care: 25 Tips for Black People

• Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup

• For Our White Friends Desiring to be Allies

• So You Want to Talk About Race

• White Fragility – Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism.

• Why White Silence is Deafening — and Deadly

• 11 Things To Do Besides Say ‘This Has To Stop’ In The Wake Of Police Brutality

• 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

• 5 Ways White People Can Take Action in Response to White and State-Sanctioned Violence

• Ways You Can Help

• Bail Funds/Legal Help by City

Commit to Taking Personal Action

Leaders must hold themselves and others accountable to change. Here are some action steps to start:

• Push past defensiveness
  Take this opportunity to learn, grow, and challenge yourself to do better. Don’t shut down; for that is a privilege awarded only to a few.

• Lean into discomfort
  This work is hard. It’s okay to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or even defeated. Feel the feelings, process them, and then get to work. Channel your rage, sadness, and remorse into action.

• Amplify Black voices
  Don’t speak over, but instead lift up Black voices. By sharing their messages, we help spread their work to our often majority-white networks.

• Seek out the truth
  Diversify your intake of information. Question sources of information in online news, social media, and television. Actively listen to Black voices to learn, not to dismiss.

• Support racial equity organizations
  Get involved and donate to help this movement create lasting change.

• Understand the history of race
  The current events are not new. They are the result of a system designed to benefit only a few.

• Educate yourself
  Seek out resources to expand your knowledge around race and racism. Do not rely on Black friends and family who have carried this burden for too long.

• Dispel harmful myths
  The concept of colorblindness is harmful. We all see color. Ignoring someone’s identity also ignores their struggles. Instead, recognize, celebrate, and champion differences—and similarities.

• Challenge your beliefs
  Reflect on questions like: Who do you consider “thugs”? What is the difference between a protest and a riot? What does history tell us about these terms today? What angers you more—property damage or the murder of innocent lives? Is MLK Jr. deemed acceptable, but Malcolm X is not?

• Engage in dialogue
  Talk with loved ones and help them become anti-racist. Stay in it. Have the difficult conversations. We can do hard things.

And finally, remember that you don’t need to do this alone. You shouldn’t do this alone. IBIS is here to help you, whether through facilitated deep dive conversations, consultation, coaching, or training. Don’t hesitate to reach out. This is a learning journey and it takes time, but it is crucial for creating an organization, and a country, where all people can be safe and free.

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Alex Suggs is a Senior Consultant at IBIS.  She is energized by courageous conversations and operating through a design-thinking lens, engaging in a human-centered approach with empathy as a key aspect in approaching challenges.