Ask ReproJobs: How can white women speak up against racism at work?
I am a white woman who works at a social justice organization. I’ve noticed many racial injustices from wage gap, micro and macro aggressions toward people of color, and a mass exodus of women of color from the organization. I want to do something to push for accountability and change but don’t want to create backlash for the folks already most hurt by these practices.
-- Alternatives to Complicity, East Coast
Dear Alternatives to Complicity,
You're asking really important questions. Luckily for you, you're not the first one to wonder how you as a white person can support your co-workers of color. It looks like you might be stuck in this loop of contradictions—namely, wanting to do something and not knowing where to start, and wanting to use your power to hold other white people accountable, but not knowing how much that might hurt or help.
One resource we love is Racial Equity Tools, but their site can be a bit overwhelming to navigate. Some pages that might be helpful: resources on accountability, how to approach the organizational change necessary to address racism at work, and how to talk about race.
This handout seems like it might be especially useful, particularly these points:
Listen to and support your co-workers of color. If there are any people of color left at your organization, and you have relationships with them, ask them what would make the difference for them at work. What issues do they not feel comfortable bringing up to management that you might be able to tackle? It may be addressing some of the issues you've noticed, or it may be something else entirely. You may find that the issues they bring up may be something you and your white colleagues can work on together, or it may be an issue you work on in coalition with your co-workers of color to bring to management. But it all starts with listening to their needs and experiences without assuming you know the answers.
Be strategic. Take the time to make some priorities to determine what your short-term and long-term goals might be. It sounds like you've noticed many manifestations of racism at work. Where do you think you could make demonstrable change during the next meeting? Where do you think you could make demonstrable change over the next year? For some white folks it's relatively painless, for instance, to notice when a person of color is being ignored at a meeting and say to everyone else, "Hey, I think she has something to add." That, of course, is just the start, and a way to build up your risk tolerance so you can make bigger moves, like calling out racial microaggressions when you see them, and providing incontrovertible evidence for pay inequity based on race.
Don't do it alone. Work in coalition with other white co-workers who want to make change (hopefully you aren't the only one!). You can't change an entire workplace culture by yourself, especially when it comes to forces as insidious and persistent as racism. Read together about building an actively anti-racist workplace and discuss the characteristics of white supremacy culture (and more). Build community with each other and with your co-workers of color. Think beyond the one-time "diversity training," and commit to putting your values into action. Talk about how you're incorporating this work into other areas of your life.
You are smart to be thinking about backlash when tackling these issues—it's often inevitable—so it's worth being prepared. Keep prioritizing your co-workers of color, and figuring out what risks you are willing to take to make your workplace more equitable.
Love,
ReproJobs