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Via Taking Action: Organizational:
1). Advice for Organizing Parents to Fight for Racial Equity at School. At Kindred (kindredcommunities.org), we have mobilized hundreds of parents in Washington, D.C. to engage each other across lines of race and class in the fight for racial equity in their children’s schools. Although every school is different, we’ve found the following guidelines for organizing parents effectively apply widely. More here.
2). Challenging White Dominant Culture: Time to Look in the Mirror. What can you do when diversity efforts fall short within your organization? In this fiery opinion piece, CompassPoint Project Director Lupe Poblano challenges readers—white and people of color—to confront white dominant culture within your nonprofit as the best way to move your organization toward equity. Lupe also provides practical, real suggestions on steps you can take to initiate change. More here.
3). 10 Commitments Companies Must Make to Advance Racial Justice. In the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, many major corporations are tweeting out statements of concern and support for the Black community. That’s a start, but what is needed at this moment is action. We cannot pretend that most major corporations in America — and their shareholders — have not benefited from the structural racism, intentional inequality, and indifference to suffering that is behind the current protests. Corporate America and the Business Roundtable have an obligation to go beyond tweets and quotes by committing to an agenda that will advance racial equity in meaningful ways.
Some changes cost virtually nothing; others may create short-term costs. But solid research has shown that the changes that do cost money actually create shared value and lead to both greater long-term corporate profitability and a more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable society. Now is the time to reset expectations for a new and better “normal” to which we can eventually return. Here are 10 commitments that corporations can and should make that will help achieve racial equity. More here.
4). Racial Equity Tools: Organizational Change Processes. There are many components to organizational change. Each of them can be considered from a lens that considers diversity, inclusion and racial equity, with a goal of aligning them with what is known about how to reduce white culture and achieve racial equity goals. Internal operations need to be aligned with an organization’s commitment and values for legitimacy and credibility externally.
Traditional organizational development methods are typically based in cultural competency, diversity awareness and inclusion processes; some (many) are ‘color-blind’ or race-neutral. Applying a racial equity lens to internal organizational development work helps to identify, talk about and manage inherent power dynamics that organizations grapple with every day, especially those that are white dominated, in culture and/or demographics. To the degree that white culture is present in an organization, exposing how it permeates business practices and internal operations provides an opportunity to expand processes, norms, and worldviews. People often make a “business case” for these kinds of changes as well, by making work processes more diverse, inclusive and equitable, an organization can create organizational cultures that are viable and sustainable within a world of changing demographics and consistent racial disparities.
This section provides information particularly for organizations that seek to transform their policies, procedures, practices, culture and relationships to be racially equitable and inclusive. Some resources describe stages of organizations’ experience through this long-term process; others provide tools to use in working toward this goal, and a few organizations have stepped forward to share their story of becoming more racially equitable. Users who know of additional stories are encouraged to share them. More here.
5). Building a Multi-Ethnic, Inclusive and Antiracist Organization. This Tools for Liberation Packet includes: The Organizational Spiral; The Usual Statements; Acts/Omissions – Overt/Covert Racism; Anti-Racism Definitions From A Human Rights Framework; Characteristics of Dominants and Subordinates; The Intersectionality of Oppression; A Chronicle of the Problem Woman of Color in Non-Profits; Characteristics of a Highly Inclusive Organization; 9 Qualities of a Committed CEO; and 10. Qualities of an Anti-Racist Ally. More here.
6). Race to Equity and Inclusion Action Guide: 7 Steps to Advance and Embed Race Equity and Inclusion Within your Organization. In This Racial Equity and Inclusion Report, You’ll Learn:
- An equity and inclusion framework for understanding different dimensions of racism.
- How to identify and analyze the root causes of racial inequities.
- Key terms, concepts and definitions relevant to race equity.
- How to talk about race by establishing shared values and a common understanding.
- How to advance and embed race equity and inclusion in your organization.
- Questions that bring together stakeholders to achieve social change.
- How to set goals for racial equity and track and measure progress.
- How to assess the impact of policies and other actions on racial and ethnic groups. More here.
7). Seeing and Naming Racism in Nonprofit and Public Organizations. In light of the unrelenting and vicious assaults on the Black community, and in response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement, I have asked myself what more I can do to challenge racism, particularly anti-Black racism. One thing I am doing is challenging myself to be more aware and forthright in noticing and speaking out about the racism I see when I work with non-profit and public organizations. This post is an effort to name those things that often go unnamed to facilitate dialogue and action. More here.
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