In recent years, there has been a lot of ink spilled on DEI in the workplace.
Post after think piece after editorial after tweet, we’ve heard people of every background share their reflections.
This, I think, is a good thing.
While not every word has been worthwhile, the volume of writing signals a long-overdue-focus on the lived realities of Black people in America.
One of the recurring topics of conversation has been how to speak to your Black colleagues at work when yet another tragedy hits the news cycle.
Here’s our take on this, for White professionals:
If you treated Black people with dignity and respect before said moment, continue to genuinely check-in with your Black colleagues. You might not always like what you hear back, and sometimes what you’ll hear back will be nothing. That’s OK.
Don’t worry about messing up – you’ll be afforded a ton of grace if you’re sincere in your willingness to do the hard work required to become an anti-racist ally. Just be sure to find other White people who are further along in their own journey and create space to learn and discuss with them (vs. burdening your Black colleagues with playing teacher).
Now. Here’s the important part.
If your behavior toward Black people has been questionable in any way, a guilt-driven, out-of-character and/or check-the-box “how are you holding up?” is going to trigger a LOT of negative emotions in your Black colleagues.
Let me put it bluntly: a racially-charged incident in the news is not a license to pretend that the microaggressions you’ve subjected your Black colleagues to for weeks/months/years are suddenly going to disappear. To the contrary, they will be ENHANCED and you definitely don’t want to be on the receiving end of someone calling out the hypocrisy.
Instead, try showing your Black colleagues the basic professional respect they’ve been asking for all along. After that, try dialing down manifestations of White supremacy culture in your workplace then finally, engage in some self-work in White, anti-racist circles.
These efforts, if done in earnest, will do much more to establish yourself as a future ally than anything else could.
Ultimately, if you have been an actual source of the very pain that Black people have been asking so many to believe for so long, now is not the time to assuage your conscience through unwelcome check-ins and empty gestures.
Because sometimes, the best way to facilitate a conversation with your Black colleague is – for the time being – by not having one at all.
