Are We Doing All We Can? Black History Month 2024, A Reflection
By Tia Simmons
Happy last day of Black History Month everyone! As we wrap up a month of celebrating, remembering, storytelling, sharing, loving, and experiencing the things that make black culture so special, so unique, and so alive, I think it’s also important that we stop and take a moment to reflect on what has transpired during the month and what comes next. One of the most important questions we must ask is… are we doing all that we can to ensure our country is one of love, acceptance, and tolerance? Are we doing all that we can to put an end to racial inequality in America?
There can be no doubt that the America we enjoy today is a far different one than our ancestors lived in. We’ve come such a long way from the days of segregation, slavery, and oppression that it can, at times, be easy to forget that there’s still an elephant in the room. For white people who have open hearts and minds, it’s sometimes easy to forget that our black counterparts are still victims of racial injustice today. And I’ve noticed this is becoming more true than ever in one particular place: the workforce. Employers have no choice but to take into consideration the needs of the many different types of people they may hire. And, if for no other reason than to protect their company/business and its interests, they have to provide equal opportunity employment, and building a diverse staff sort of comes with the territory there. In order to be compliant with all the sexual harassment laws and whatnot, many employers have established an intense training period covering topics that could cause the business problems should their employees engage in those types of behaviors. More recently, employers have begun adding a DEI course to that intense training period, as a way to mitigate potential problems that could occur as the result of having a diverse team of individuals with different values and beliefs.
DEI. What is it? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. According to Bing, “DEI training refers to initiatives and educational programs designed to promote understanding, awareness, and inclusion of individuals from diverse backgrounds within an organization. It aims to create a culture where everyone’s uniqueness is celebrated, systemic biases are addressed, and equality is championed.” (Microsoft, 2024) If implemented correctly and the training done well, DEI could very well be the beginning of a change in the mindset of people everywhere. Imagine if every person to become employed were to be required to take this training, they would learn concepts that would aid them in being more acceptant and tolerant throughout their lifetime, eventually passing those values and abilities on to the next generation and, through training and awareness, putting an end to racial inequalities and bias really could be in sight.
A few years ago, I received a certification in Human Rights from Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise, Idaho, a nonprofit organization named after a priest with the last name Wassmuth who made a stand against white supremacy. The Human Rights Certification is more in depth than the DEI trainings appear to be, but it was a course that ultimately changed the way I view the world, humanity, inclusion, diversity, equality, acceptance, empathy, human rights, dignity, and bias. Using my own experiences, my certification, and what I have found during my research for this article, I have put selected a list of 9 critical topics that must be covered in DEI training for it to be effective and to create the change we need to see in others.
Diversity versus Inclusion. What is Diversity? Diversity is when different groups and marginalized voices are represented at work. There are people from many backgrounds and cultures, who have many different values and beliefs, and who have different life experiences. Inclusion supports diversity by making sure each individual from each different group feels safe and supported in the environment they are in and that they are comfortable with those around them. It is an important distinction because having diversity without inclusion is going to backfire tremendously.
Human Rights. Every person should read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and be quizzed on it. Everyone must understand that we, as humans, all come into the world and then leave it with the same thing, one thing we can all share, the rights granted to all humans. “Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” (UN, 2024) If we want a peaceful, just, and free world then we must respect that others want that same peace, justice, and freedom and realize that they deserve it equally as much as we do.
Unconscious Bias. This is the idea that we all come with certain beliefs and thoughts that run deep, far deeper than anyone realizes. We can scratch the surface but in order to eliminate these biases, we must first become aware of them. It’s impossible to target and eliminate something that you have no idea even exists. While we may believe we are behaving impartially and without stereotypes or biases, our life experiences shape the way we feel about things and the way we act as a result. Becoming intentional about not allowing those experiences to impact the way we think and act in certain situations is the key. A good book to teach about unconscious bias is The Tuttle Twins Guide to Beware Your Bias by Connor Boyak.
Intentional Inclusion. On the heels of #3, this is super important. After you become aware of your unintentional biases, you must learn to be intentionally inclusive. A lot of times people want to be inclusive, they just aren’t sure how to be. Some suggestions are to ask and use people’s preferred pronounces, use inclusive language, learn to recognize ways in which you may have privilege and use that privilege to support others who don’t have it. Choose your words, don’t just blurt out conversation, but take a moment to think about how included or excluded what you want to say might make those around you feel and go from there.
Culture and Identity Awareness. So now that you know how to be inclusive, it may be helpful to have a better understanding of what sorts of groups, cultures, and people you would want to be inclusive of. What are some of the ways diversity presents itself in your environment? This can be age diversity (very young v. very old), gender diversity (male, female, nonbinary, transgender), sexual orientation diversity (LGBTQIA+), racial diversity (black, white, Asian, Hispanic), religious diversity (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, Wiccan), and more. When you can recognize that there is a diversity present, you can better aim to be inclusive of the members of that group.
Accessibility. Often, people associate accessibility with disabilities such as requiring a wheelchair ramp to access a building, which is true. However, accessibility needs to be fair and equitable in regard to all workplace policies and resources. Every employee, regardless of status or position, should all have access to the same resources and tools for success. Discrimination isn’t always overt. Sometimes it’s the withholding of small things that show discrimination most for what it is.
Microaggressions. Going backward just a bit, microaggressions tend to come from unconscious bias and most people aren’t fully aware of their behavior. Microaggressions are miniscule ways in which people snub others off or shut them down or belittle them without being overt or openly hostile. This can be an act as small as assuming gender identity based on physical appearance, assigning a role to a male employee because the female isn’t strong enough for the job, or shutting down an idea because the individual suggesting it isn’t educated enough. If we can identify the ways we can be intolerant and exclusive without doing so openly, we can intentionally change the behaviors.
Inclusive Leadership. This is important because leadership attitudes trickle down throughout the staff. Leaders must first be trained to weed out their own bias when making hiring decisions, resulting in the diverse team we are striving for. Leaders must also communicate in a way that encourages others to be honest and open with them and to share their feelings/experiences. Leaders also have to be mature and capable of seeing things from another point of view. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, a lesson that DEI training will surely teach you.
Bystander Intervention. Training your employees on DEI will not help a bit if you don’t allow them to use it. Make it clear that bystanders who witness bias, discrimination, or harassment and act to make a stand against it will not be punished. If everyone acts together to hold each other accountable when necessary and to never tolerate acts of injustice, the peaceful environment we’re seeking will be the natural consequence. It will result from being at peace with yourself first, and then others.
One final recommendation I have is to get certified in human rights. Wassmuth isn’t the only place that does this type of certificate, and they cost about $35 USD, but the knowledge and insight you will gain is invaluable and will last a lifetime. A quick google search will wield you many options and I’m linking Wassmuth below.
In conclusion, considering the above-noted list of concepts a solid DEI course must teach each individual in the class to be fully effective, I don’t think employers are as of yet doing all they can. I don’t think we, as citizens of this country, are collectively doing everything in our power to eliminate racial injustice and systemic discrimination but, I do think we are on the right track. The fact that we are doing anything at all is something we couldn’t imagine only a few years ago. Progress in matters such as this can only be measured subjectively and if it feels good to you, it feels good to me. One day I hope we live in a better world, but it isn’t going to be this day, unfortunately. As we move away from Black History Month and into March, with spring and then summer hot on its heels, let us remember those who didn’t live to see the day when taking action against racial inequality is becoming common place. And let us not forget that there is still work to be done.
Wishing you all the very best end of the week and end of the month, we here at BLACK thank you for reading. Until next time, signing off.
References
Pavlou, C. (2022). 9 DEI Training Topics – eLearning Industry
Wassmuth Center for Human Rights. (2024). Wassmuth Center for Human Rights | Human Rights Certification
About the Author:
Tia is an investigative journalist here at BLACK. She holds degrees in Political Science and Applied Economics from SNHU and she is a first-year law student at Purdue Global Law School, pursuing her J.D. She also has a certification in Human Rights from Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise Idaho and she recently interned for the Office of Budget and Entitlement Policy at Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. Tia is a RESULTS 2024 Organizing and Advocacy Fellow and Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator. She lives with her husband and three children in Hurricane, West Virginia.
In her free time, she enjoys contemporary art, fashion, home décor, reading, and family. Tia is passionate about protecting American consumers and corporations and is a strong proponent for open markets, human rights, and equality for all. Her current focus is slavery reparations, entitlement program solvency, and budget appropriations process reform. While Tia is not black, she supports the fight for equality and stands with BLM. She believes that unearned privilege creates a duty to act against racial inequality and injustices.
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