Over the past few years, many events have motivated white people to look at how systemic racism has benefitted them and influenced their views on issues, and examine what they can do in the interest of racial justice.
Through this process, an increasing number of people have realized that it isn’t enough to simply not be racist. Instead, they must be actively anti-racist.
What is Anti-Racism?
Anti-racism is an active approach to recognizing, pointing out, and challenging racism anywhere it exists. Anti-racists believe that racial justice can only be achieved proactively, not by simply refraining from racist behavior. This distinction is important for a few reasons:
- Everyone has been influenced by racist messaging that they must actively resist
- Fixing racial injustice requires active effort by everyone, not just racialized people
- Some people will deny the existence of racism until white people point it out
- People of color need to be able to recognize that they have allies
Work is one of the most important places in which someone can put anti-racist principles to work. Think about that. You spend approximately a third of your time there.
Employment, hiring, and compensation are all volatile areas when it comes to racial injustice. Someone who is anti-racist at work stands a good chance of making a meaningful impact.
If you’re interested in applying anti-racism principles in the workplace, there are several important steps you can take.
Earn Credibility Through Introspection
You won’t get far pointing out racist behavior in others if you fail to deal with problematic behaviors of your own. Take some time first to learn about systemic racism. Then, consider how its existence may have put you at an advantage.
Be aware of your attitudes and racist behaviors that you may exhibit, even unintentionally. Be honest with yourself.
Have you been guilty of saying culturally insensitive things? Do you have close relationships with people of color in your office? Do your conversations with them go beyond race? Work on your behavior first, then address organization issues on diversity.
Work to Educate Yourself and Others
Once you’ve engaged in an honest and aggressive self-assessment, you can begin working on your prejudices and educating yourself. This work is what will give you credibility when you start confronting racist attitudes in the workplace.
Also, a key component of being anti-racist is taking on the labor of doing the work yourself and demanding the same of others. Facilitate that by offering training and literature on anti-racism.
What does this mean? It means that black people in your office are not responsible for explaining racism to you, including how or why something is racially insensitive.
They are also not responsible for your feelings about it or making you feel comfortable or appreciated for your efforts. One of the key tenets of anti-racism is putting the onus of eliminating racial injustice on the people who have historically benefitted from systemic racism.
Once you’ve done this work, you can take on the responsibility of highlighting workplace racism and demanding change.
Get Feedback Even if It Hurts
You can’t know how successful you are at creating an anti-racist workplace if you don’t solicit honest feedback. Likewise, it’s difficult to know how or where to apply anti-racist actions if you can’t see how people of color in your workplace are experiencing racism.
What’s the best way to do this? It can be tricky to gather this kind of information without being pushy and making people uncomfortable.
Fortunately, there are tools that you can use to collect feedback about anti-racism at your company, whether the people working for you feel as though they are welcomed and treated fairly regardless of race, and how your company culture is perceived as it relates to racial bias.
Confront Microaggressions
Microaggressions are hurtful and insensitive remarks or actions that serve to insult or denigrate people in minority groups. For example, constantly mispronouncing the names of African American coworkers is a microaggression.
Though it’s fairly easy to keep a workplace free of blatant racism, microaggressions can be common even in the most seemingly aware business. They are problematic because they make the workplace unwelcoming and uncomfortable for racial minorities.
Hold People Accountable
There’s nothing more toxic and disheartening for people of color in the workplace than to witness incidents of racism dismissed, denied, excused, or explained away.
Provide diversity and racial awareness training to workers, and set clear policies. Then, hold people appropriately accountable when they violate those policies. This action will go a long way towards creating a positive work culture for every employee.
Focus on Diversity in Recruiting and Hiring
If you want your employer brand to communicate that you support diversity and anti-racism, you must make a sincere effort. That takes more than including a little blurb in job lists stating “Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.” Think beyond doing the bare minimum.
Start by taking the steps listed above to create a diverse, welcoming, anti-racist work environment. Then, consider who you are using in your recruiting literature. Are people of color represented? What about employee-generated video content? Are the people of color who work for you willing to be employer brand ambassadors? If not, why not?
Demand Meaningful Change
Anti-racism isn’t something that you can achieve through the efforts of a single person or department. It has to involve the entire organization. It truly needs to be established as an organizational goal that is detailed and measurable. That way, you can ensure any changes that are made will be meaningful and permanent.
