As we continue to repost and share our two cents on articles, and navigate the ebbs and flows of our political reality, I urge us to reflect: how is our sharing about resistance perpetuating resistance? Who are we actually benefiting from spreading negative rhetoric?
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When I first moved to Texas — more specifically Austin, Texas — I distinctly remember all of the typical culture shocks: the scorching hot triple-digit weather, breakfast tacos, Topo Chico, Cholula, and the almost complete absence of snow and ice – almost. But what surprised me even more was a shift in communication and socialization style that I didn’t anticipate – the expectation of being “nicer.” Initially, I chalked it up to the change in geographical location. But this was something else. I experienced how being a Black woman in predominately white spaces complicates not-so-subtle differences in expected prosocial norms.
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Once again, we find ourselves asking: How many more Black people must die in vain? When will we come to terms that Black lives do matter? At what point will we take responsibility for the inexcusable racism that still prevails in our society? Having conversations about racism is, indeed, a challenging process. I am offering some steps you can take, followed by action steps to start your journey to better understanding.
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I have witnessed the pandemic bring out some of the worst in people—racism, xenophobia, entitlement, greed, and ultimately “othering”—excluding, shaming, and hurting those in highest need of care, people of color, and those who don’t have the resources to manage, let alone survive, a pandemic like this. To overcome the virus as a nation, as a world, it is imperative that we prioritize health equity and inclusion and utilize our global connectedness for the positive: taking inclusive stances that prioritize the health of all people through our actions, our companies, our communities.
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Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the toll it takes on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity practitioners when we are faced with the challenges of doing the work in such polarizing times. In fact, as an empath, I find myself really taking on the feelings and emotions of those who I work with and frankly, in light of all that we see happening around us, I have been in a bit of a sad place wondering if what I do makes a difference, or if it’s the right work to be doing at all.
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The University of Missouri’s (Mizzou) Athletic Department tweeted pictures celebrating the diversity of their student athletes and staff. The intent behind the campaign was to showcase personal information about the students and why they are “more than a student athlete.” The problem with the post was the very different messaging chosen for Black athletes versus white athletes.
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As I think about the questions that Leigh Morrison posed in the introduction to this series, I admit that I was not particularly eager to reflect on so many painful memories of how internalized oppression has manifested for me. However, in service of the work and helping others to acknowledge and address the pain, I offer a glimpse into my own life in answer to her questions.
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Bias, racism, and xenophobia can permeate into our psyche and well-being. Think of it like this: within each of us is a 54 block-solid Jenga structure that supports our self-confidence throughout life. D&I practitioners do their best to offer organizations and communities the best researched practices and resources to defeat bias, racism, and xenophobia but sometimes, ANTs are difficult to change.
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Last week, when Leigh introduced us to the topic of internalized oppression, I couldn’t help but think of one of the most problematic “compliments” that I have encountered as a member of the Asian American community and how I have internalized it: being the “Model Minority.” This term has been used for decades to describe how the Asian-American population in America is exceptionally high-achieving, highly educated, and thus, a “model” for other minority groups to strive to emulate.
Read MoreThe U.S. has recently been reckoning with some essential and long-overdue conversations around policing, bias, use of force, and police relations to communities of color. One related conversation that isn’t on many people’s radar is the subject of police relations to differently-abled communities. One community that often faces cross-cultural challenges, which can quickly escalate to dangerous situations when police are involved, is the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Read MoreThis week, two high-profile instances of government entities using facial recognition technology to identify individuals in photos or video footage hit the press. In Washington, Utah, and Vermont, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have used photos from drivers’ license databases in attempt to identify undocumented immigrants…
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I went from moving my car because (in my mind) he was a racist Trump supporter, to being really reflective. Here, I had attributed so many negative character traits to a man I had never met, all because he had a few hats on his dashboard. I was quickly realizing that, he may be none of the things I was allowing myself to believe and that he was probably just a regular guy, who, like me, enjoys a good Target run.
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