Tag: Bold Conversations About Race

Unpacking the Conversations that Matter: Distancing Statements – “I’m a good white person.” “I have a lot of diverse friends.” “I don’t get why this is so hard!”

Unpacking the Conversations that Matter: Distancing Statements – “I’m a good white person.” “I have a lot of diverse friends.” “I don’t get why this is so hard!”

by | Oct 31, 2019 | 0

In D&I work, we often offer suggestions to the effect of: “This is an ongoing journey,” or “Expect a lack of closure.” In essence, both phrases can be boiled down to one statement that would by now be cliché if it wasn’t so essential to continue restating: This work is never done.  In this post, I’ll be unpacking some common distancing statements that people may use when trying to assure others that they are on the “right side” of the issues.

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Unpacking Conversations That Matter: “I wish I could be as tan as you” and more: Deconstructing Appropriation and the Quest for Authenticity

Unpacking Conversations That Matter: “I wish I could be as tan as you” and more: Deconstructing Appropriation and the Quest for Authenticity

by | Oct 17, 2019 | 0

When you stand out as being visually “different” in a space, “Where are you from?” “Can I touch your hair?” or (the most interesting,) “I wish I could be as tan as you,” are common questions and comments. Now, disclaimer: I am all for giving genuine compliments; heck, I am more than happy you love my chocolate glow! That being said, there is a fine line between being intentionally curious and celebrating someone’s unique characteristics, and exoticizing these characteristics.

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The Buzz: Where Are the Hugs For Our Black Boys?

The Buzz: Where Are the Hugs For Our Black Boys?

by | Oct 10, 2019 | 0

As a Black woman with a father and brother who could have been Botham, I am also deeply saddened by the fact that there are often no hugs for our Black boys and men who are lost to violence. By the time we realize our “tragic mistake,” it is often too late. Where is the compassion for others that do not look like or have the privileges of the dominant group?

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Unpacking the Conversations that Matter: “There Just Aren’t Any ‘Qualified’ Black People” and “Those Children Just Don’t Care About Their Education”

Unpacking the Conversations that Matter: “There Just Aren’t Any ‘Qualified’ Black People” and “Those Children Just Don’t Care About Their Education”

by | Sep 26, 2019 | 0

“Those children just don’t care about their education.”  “There just aren’t any qualified ‘diverse candidates’ in the pipeline.” “Parents in urban areas tend to be unmotivated and disengaged in our school processes.”  “We hire people of color, but they just don’t stay long.” We must shift our thinking and shift these conversations if we are truly going to shift the system. 

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Racial Justice at Work: Practical Solutions for Systemic Change

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