Hello, everybody, this is Michele Heyward with KC Atha again this week, we’re back to talk more about diversity equity inclusion. Today we’re specifically going to talk about Ben and Jerry’s statement they made in response to the murder of George Floyd. And why it is epic. Why it is so important to look at it for when you’re fighting or fighting racism, and creating an anti yes, I’m back. My internet is not letting me be great this week, this month. So we are going to get started. So Krystal, um, just in case I fall out again, um, let’s just start with the title. Right. And now I’ll do a screen share and we’ll see how this goes as well. It is it is it is live stream been doing this long enough to now. So we must dismantle white supremacy when you hear this. What comes when you read it? What was your first reaction?

KC:

Saying it
just saying it like it is I think it’s just plain talk. I agree they did not

Michele: 

sugarcoat it, they were straight to the point is is truly a call to action. It is telling you the work that needs to be done and to where you’re going to implement that or that work is going to impact so I love that it was straight to the point and then after that they said silence is not an option. So that meant you have to say something that is going to be impactful that is going to move the the call to action they have which is dismantle white supremacy. So I love what how they started it. I’m just with the actual title of, of their, um, I don’t even know what I just call their action plan. I actually call it their action plan because it is very, very actionable. So let’s get into the introduction part of of their action plan. I’ll let you get started here. Okay.

KC: 

So I want to say I love the way they use we must dismantle white supremacy because and then they start the first paragraph as all of us at Ben and Jerry’s. So I think it’s really important to say that we is important Instead of saying white supremacy must be dismantled. That’s it, you’re sort of saying the same thing. But you’re not saying we it’s not saying who is going to do it on. So I really like that and all of us at Ben and Jerry’s says, Hey, this is what we at Ben and Jerry’s stand for. So even folks, I mean, I don’t know how Big Ben and Jerry’s is to be honest, how many employees or staff they have, or who they work with, etc. But anyone that is in the sphere of influence of Ben and Jerry’s is now understanding because of all of us at Ben and Jerry’s, so everyone who interacts with Ben and Jerry’s knows where they stand. They’re not just saying, Oh, it’s a terrible thing that happened. They’re saying, this is where we stand. And then that when I teach bystander intervention, I think it’s really important when we respond to harassment or harm being done. We say where we stand, that is not okay. We don’t do that in our workplace. So that’s one of the responses that I try to share with folks as a strategy that can be done because It names what is not allowed. And what we do strive for, is to dismantle white supremacy. So we’re saying what we don’t do. And then we’re saying what we are doing, which is we are dismantling this. So I’m really into words, I’m really into language and how powerful language can be. And so that’s why I’m breaking it down. So like, precisely as well as saying, We’re outraged. They’re naming murder. There. I’m looking at my notes here. They’re naming black with a capital B. They’re naming police officers. They’re not just vaguely saying a system. Um, and then, of course, they’re talking about in the next paragraph that George Floyd was a son, a brother, a father, a friend, why are they doing that? Because our society and our police officers are obviously seeing us, the darker skin that we have as less human maybe less of a son less of a brother, less of a father less of a friend. So I think that’s whether they intentionally wrote those things. I don’t know but that’s what struck me. That’s what I thought like, yeah, we’re human. And the last sentence, the last three words his own future. So his future was robbed from him. What triggered me was thinking like, oh, when the Cavanaugh thing came up, it was like, oh, but should his whole future be ruined because of this? It’s like, Well, you know, you’re ruining black futures all the time. And we don’t question it. We’re not outraged. We’re not just assuming that George Floyd. Future was robbed. We’re just talking about well, why did this happen? And devil’s advocate. So these just really popped out to me just right away. I knew what I was reading was like, they’re taking action they see clearly and they’re working to understand how to dismantle white supremacy.

 

Michele: 

I absolutely agree with you when you said they dehumanize too often. When you hear reports and we do this in a black community, or at least my friends and family do. We literally listen to how the news reports things when it’s a white person and a black person. Oftentimes it is the black person’s dehumanize. They find anything they can negatively in social media to post about the person. And early on, there were so many young men coming forward like before they come out with these negative reports before they tell you all these lies about him. Let me tell you who George really was, because they knew was going to come they we know what to expect. And they too often dehumanize us. So the first thing I read as like my god, you literally made him a person before or after knowing how the media portrays us. So it was highly important that an ally that that obviously Ben and Jerry’s as an organization as well as to to white men, have done they understand how white supremacy works. How systemic racism works, as it directly relates to black people in dehumanizing us publicly. Even, and especially when we have been murdered by police officers. So I thought it was a very strong stance and a very strong opening for them to continue through their action plan, like this is who we’re talking about. This was who was murdered. And it really changes the narrative of how to move forward that you’re not talking about a cause we’re talking about a person and this was to so many different people. So I absolutely agree with you on that. Yeah. So let’s, I want to dig in a little bit deeper. Something else that really struck out to me was they literally like you said, use the word murder. And again, they using the word black, they’re not erasing him as a black person, me as a black person, black as a race are not putting in people color. They’re specifically talking about blacks, these specific people are out murder. They literally while they included the names of several other black people in their posts, which we often seen see it, it didn’t take away from the overall message that they were sending. So I really liked that about as well. Um, and they talked about toxic seeds planted and literally went back and if you haven’t looked at the 1619 Um, we don’t i don’t want to call it a story, but history that they put together last year. And it literally talks about the systemic racism, it talks about race. It talks about the history of how black people not only were slaves in this country, but how it has manifested even after we were free. So It really is important that they literally went back to 1619. To say this is when this all started. And it still continues to this day. So that to me was very important, because they started out with with dismantling white supremacy, and then going back to that very moment as to when it really started here in this country, at least. So I thought that was very, very instrumental in understanding the history of when it all started, or started brewing, I should say deeper here in the US. And so, this, this is where I’m referencing, specifically Jamestown in in 1619. Yep. All right. So um, let’s move on. Did you have anything else you wanted to add?

KC: 

On the only thing I was gonna say is that before we get into the four pillars, the paragraph right above that says four years ago, we probably publicly stated our support for Black Lives Matter. So the movement, I think it’s important to recognize two things. Number one, even if you’ve already said something, say it again, say it every time something happens, just because you said we stand for x thing, one time, that doesn’t show us that you truly stand for it. Um, so for example, I care about whatever topic Well, if I care about it, I’m going to constantly and consistently be talking about it, because I’m reinforcing it to others and reinforcing it to my culture. I’m reinforcing it to myself. I’m reminding myself like, this is what we stand for. This is what we’re doing. So even though if you didn’t want to do it, keep doing it. Then the next thing is today, we want to be even more clear. So each time these things happen. Yes, it feels like wow, here we go. Here we go again. But there also is something to be said about, like we need to clarify and with urgency, what this highlights and I think you just can’t be too close. You can definitely be more specific, don’t just hearts in prayer or prayers and thoughts and prayers, or we’re going to work to be more inclusive. That’s just very vague. We all know when we set goals, we need to be specific. So, yes, our intention is for everyone to feel included. I’m a big proponent of setting an intention. I’m also big on setting the goal, so that we reach that intention. So that’s all I wanted to say was like, even though you’ve done it once, keep doing it.

Michele:

And in that same sentence, because you started with the beginning, I’m gonna take it home. They said, take concrete steps, meaning you have to be purposeful in the actions you’re going to take. And then they said to dismantle white supremacy. Again, they’re talking about specific action to a specific policy or institutionalized racism here. So systemic racism, that is what you’re talking about, so they have been very specific as to what action they’re taking, and to where they’re going to place that action. And so organizations need to make sure they’re doing the same thing. Your I cannot tell you how many black women and Latino women have reached out to me about the statements their employers have saved, said provided sent out or the lack thereof. Number one, they completely did not say black. They did not say murder. They did not say systemic racism. They did not say white supremacy. They did not say any actions they were going to take Matter of fact, one employer said hey, if you go buy this T shirt, will will match every dollar for dollar. It was like you’re a for profit organization, a billion dollar organization. You just need to ante up the money, point blank period. Don’t worry about what your employees are providing, right. So I think it’s really important. And employers understand what they need to be doing and how they need to be showing up. And Ben and Jerry’s is a great way to show your employees where you stand and how you’re going to support them. All right, so let’s go into pillar number one. First, we want to call upon President Trump elected officials and political parties to commit our nation to a formal process of healing and reconciliation. So, if you haven’t read this, I’ll continue. Instead of calling for the use of aggressive tactics on pro protesters, the president must take the first step of disavowing white supremacist and nationalist groups that overtly support him by not using his twitter feed to promote and normalize their ideas and agenda. The world is watching America’s response. What are your thoughts on the first pillar Have of what didn’t Jerry’s?

KC: 

So my first thought I just can’t help myself because I think about diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. I think I don’t even want to guess we can talk about the literal words, but I just immediately thought, okay, replace the president with CEO, Executive Director, etc. So like, I think in leadership, how can we take this action within our own organization? As the executive director? How can I do a process of healing and reconciliation because no organization is perfect. I’m sure there’s some cracks that have been highlighted with COVID. And now even more so with the revolution that’s going on right now. And so what and how can we heal that and reconcile that? And of course disavowing that and looking at Okay, so they’re calling him out on his Twitter, why don’t we call ourselves in on our socials? How much and How frequently do we Promote anti racism. So that’s where I took it. I just put the mirror up. I said, cool. They’re calling him out, whatever I agree with it, but also, what can I do? How can I put this mirror up to myself as a leader and to others and say, hey, how can we do better?

Michele: 

Yes. And and I often call it as, like you said, the CEO, your other C suite executives, your board of directors, I didn’t even say the D and I, team because you may only have one person, they this, this has to be led from the top of the organization. And it has to be very clear. And like you said, it should be shared across all the social and not just once it has to be consistently done. And your organization and whatever that plan is needs to plan out. How does that show up, and it doesn’t just show up in February for Black History Month. It doesn’t show up, just for Black music month, which is June, right? We’re in the midst of black music month, it has to show up consistently every single day. Um, and you have to as an organization, as that management team, leading that organization, what does that look like, for your brand for your black employees, so you need to be very specific about it. And I’m just gonna tell you not gonna get it right all the time. But you cannot remain silent in this.

KC: 

Okay, I’ll repeat that. We will be making mistakes. And what’s the most important is how you respond after you’ve made that mistake. So, just start with the assumption of we will we will be making mistakes and we are working hard to correct them and reconcile them as we grow and learn. We are learners right now. And so there will be that grace, but give the grace to the people giving you the feedback and say thank you

Michele:

Exactly. So we’re going to move on to pillar number two. Second, we call upon Congress to pass hr 40. legislation that would create a commission to study the effects of slavery and discrimination from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. We cannot move forward together as a nation until we begin to grapple with the sense of our past. slavery, Jim Crow and segregation were systems of legalized and monetized white supremacy, for which generations of black and brown people paid an unmeasurable price. That cost must be acknowledged, and the privilege that accrue to some at the expense of others must be recognized, reckoned with and re addressed. So, do you want me to open up hr 40. So people understand What that is

KC: 
if you want to I don’t I didn’t dig that deep
read it I read I don’t
go

Michele:

cuz you know, I’m about that life too. So what what is truly important is they literally talk about reparations for African Americans. What was more important A lot of people don’t know about the Tulsa riots and we’ve renamed because really is a massacre. It’s the Tulsa massacre. I’ve lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma and in North Tulsa, where a lot of black people live now. There’s where there was in Tulsa a section there is a section of town called Greenwood if I’m not mistaken. And it was where a lot of black businesses where you had doctors, nurses, hospitals, banking, and white people were upset that black people were doing well in Tulsa, Oklahoma, so they literally came through that neighborhood murder. numerous people burn down that Section of the neighborhood of Tulsa. And literally you’re talking to the National Guard came in to assist not to stop it, but to assist. There’s what one or two survivors left this happen? What 100 I forget exactly. But early 19 hundred’s

KC: 

Yeah. 99 years ago I just saw.

Michele: 

Yeah. And it was it still hasn’t been addressed. It still is not very well known. And so when people think reparations, they think automatically back back to slavery. But things like this continue to happen over and over again, as black people amass wealth as we built our own businesses because it was a segregated society. What was torn down what was burned out who was murdered for doing well and actually building something. So often people say, pull yourselves up by your bootstraps. Well, they did. And they didn’t even in the slaves didn’t even have boots. When they left. They left the plantations, they were barefoot Right, but you’re telling people to build something from nothing. They do it, and they do it well. And it still gets torn down time and time again. So when they talked about reparations, it goes so much deeper than just slavery. It goes to, after slavery, and what we’ve done in this country, just to have it torn and burned down again and again. So I think people need to have a broader or more, excuse me to dig deeper and understanding what we as black people have done in this country for 100 years, with very little assistance, or some assistance, I want to take a little bit some assistance from wet white allies, but also how oftentimes it’s torn down repeatedly, time and time again. And we’ve seen it now in gentrification in our own neighbor neighborhoods. So it talks about the 400 years. So I just want to say go and read that I’m gonna go back to the four pillars and I’ll let Casey take over Because it’s really important that you understand what they’re talking about as far as reparations and how that is not just a slavery aspect, but it goes deeper than that.

KC: 

Yeah, I actually just saw a headline, I didn’t even click on it what I forget, I forget the woman’s name ahead of Vogue. She’s the editor for a long time. Anyway, she basically is grappling with the sense of her past right now. And I think about Vogue and I think about where we all sit in our organizations and how can we grapple with our organization’s past, if you’re a newer organization? Fine. Think about it anyway, how, you know, even if you have a small history, you can think about that or you can think about your industry. You can think about and reflect on that stuff and grapple with it meaning like, acknowledging it, taking ownership of it and saying, yes, this happened and we held it up and perpetuated it in certain ways. And so you need to acknowledge the costs And that it basically the cost and privilege that so this line that costs that must be acknowledged and the privilege that accrued to some at the expense of others. I think that line is really powerful to me because that’s just being honest and acknowledging. So it’s very deep. It’s very uncomfortable, deeply uncomfortable to talk about and be as vulnerable as this is being. But if we really, truly genuinely want to move forward, we have to grapple with the past, because we already saw that we have tried to move forward as a country and it just keeps haunting us so let’s just let’s just face it, face the fear. Let’s do it. Let’s do it together.

Michele: 

Yeah, do it scared? Because we haven’t been what one of the comments is for a pill I love pillar two is steps towards ending systemic racism. I think pillar one was okay, but conversations needs to continue at every level and it needs to be done every single day. I absolutely agree. One one other comment, black Wall Street. That’s what it is like Wall Street. But we need government to help push this forward. I would say as as citizens, we need to be making sure government is pushing this forward. We elect these people. I’m your constituent, I will fax your office, email your office, call your office. My mother doesn’t fax you don’t email but she will call and she has called. Um, so I’ve learned a lot from her and how to engage with politicians, not just at the state level, but also in Congress here and making sure they hear my voice as as their constituents. So it is very, very important that we do that every single day. Even even in the offseason. So I’m one of the one of our congressmen, he has a fish fry. And literally, they’re like a fish fry like yeah, that’s that’s the thing. Hear, don’t, don’t don’t ask, and you put yellow marker on your sandwich. So but it’s those things where you go out and you engage with other constituents and find out what their voices are too. So it’s great to be within our own communities, whether it’s social and in our neighborhoods, but going out to those, even those, those regular right the regular people type of, of political events, and really hearing what matters to them, and what they really need. And that truly plays another part in understanding where systemic racism is current day and how it’s impacting people directly in your communities and neighborhoods. So, I would encourage you to do that. Okay, um, I had another thought here and I can’t read because the rooms too dark because it’s my notes, but um, they talk about the costs how some people accrued at the expense of others. And how was legalized and monetize. And often I hear what everybody that monetize from slavery’s dead. That’s not true. I want to number one say that’s a lie. Every single legal slave sale was taxed by the US federal government. Never ever forget that. Every single and I’m sitting here in the state of South Carolina one day after the pandemic, I will probably do a live stream for Market Street so you can understand what it looks like they want to tell now Market Street where the slaves or so but they want to keep Confederate flags. You tell me why. So it is truly truly important that you understand why plantation owners are dead. This US federal government, which benefited from every single slave sale is still very much alive and operating through white supremacy. Okay. All right. Yes, and somebody saying black Wall Street burning or black Tulsa massacre is a YouTube series. So if you don’t know what that is, I encourage you to go to YouTube to Ennis. I think it’s like eight videos. I looked at it about 10 years ago when I originally moved to Tulsa to educate myself about where I was. And that’s the good thing about the pro and the con about the internet, you can get access to more information these days. Alright, I we’re going to move on to pillar number three. Third, we support Floyd family’s call to create a national task force that would draft bipartisan legislation aimed at ending racial violence and increasing police accountability. We cannot continue to find a criminal justice system that perpetrates mass incarceration While at the same time threatens the lives of a whole segment of the population. So Chris, I’ll let you go, though in on this point first.

KC: 

Okay, so the first thing that’s that popped into my head is thinking about the workplace again, in a tweet that I saw. And the tweet said, we need to build our organizations assuming that everyone’s racist and build it so that we mitigate it and minimize it. And I think about my organization, building as like, our culture as soil, you know, do we make rich soil so that equity and inclusion is thriving or do we make rich soil that allows for oppression and marginalization and unequal treatment and harm so that is what came out to me. So legislation aimed at ending racial violence? What is the type of policies and procedures and structures that we can put into our organizations that end violence I’m using the word violence more broadly thinking about the workplace, but it still hurts, it still hurts us in so many different ways. All of us, even white people, disproportionately black people, and that whole spectrum. So also I’m thinking about this as this is not just a black person problem. That’s why all of us need to be fighting to make our workplaces and to make our society at large, more racially just because we’re all going to benefit from it.

Michele: 

Absolutely. So I have I have a take on this as well. Just internal to organizations when it comes to creating a diverse pool of not pool, a pool of candidates for jobs for positions, but but also of employees, what your employees backgrounds are, what are their ethnic ethnicities, gender, race, what does that look like? And it starts number one with a recruiting candidates and we literally had this have this discussion quite often. And in our black circles, we literally hear on LinkedIn, not we but we not me, but we mean black people will take our pictures out when we’re looking for a job, and it’s magical how all of a sudden, I’m a perfect candidate when I don’t have a black woman’s picture up, or a black man’s picture up, right. But I share it with somebody if the organization will not recruit you because you are black. How do you think they will treat you as a black employee? So if you have bias and how you recruit, I believe you’re going to have issues internal to that organization and how you treat your employees. So I like leave your pitch up if you’re only getting two recruiters or hits for jobs a month is better than 22 because those other 20 may have and probably do have issues internally. The reason they won’t even look at you because you have a You’re a black person, and I literally have a friend he does. He’s like, you know, recruiters and stop calling me I’m gonna take my picture there and it never fails, he literally within two days will have 10 different jobs, recruiters contacting him when he would have had to in a month contacting him just by taking his picture down. So we talked about recruiting. Now, looking at how you interview people, you’re expecting certain behaviors, you’re expecting certain well, or you’re not expecting people who are black to show up and come in and be as educated. And I can tell you I surprised the hell out of people post LinkedIn because it was a black woman named Michele Heyward and Michelle with one l with an engineering degree so it surprised the hell out of them. So now what well do you know what psi is? And I like pounds per square inch. And and they’re quizzing me about my education. We’re in you’re asking other candidates about their experience, right? So I have to prove that I earned my degree there assume they know what the hell they’re talking about because they’re not black. Then once you’re there, I have to have proof that I’m worthy of a promotion, where my white counterparts only have to have potential. So now in all of that, you have to tab certain measures in place, right? In order to make sure you have created an equitable process throughout your organization from not only recruiting, not only interviewing, career advancement, because that impacts your retention. And too often organizations don’t have that. Too often. They’re actually thinking, Oh, well, all the black people are first generation graduates. I’m a third. I actually have a friend. She’s an engineer. Her mother was an engineer before her. Well, I says a lot of us, Probably not, but there are a lot of us. Who are not first generation college graduates. So, the assumptions we encounter are truly truly difficult to bring around. So, I would say for organizations, you need to remove that throughout your entire talent management process, because it is impairing you and it is hurting you. Okay? All right. Um, anything for pillar three, anything else,

KC: 

I just highlighted the part where it says mass incarceration, incarceration while at the same, okay, so threatens the lives of a whole segment of the population. So the word whole segment of the population really jumped out at me. So whenever you are doing an analysis of your organization, are there whole segments of your organization’s population, experiencing something disproportionately? That might be somewhere to go and say, and good or bad? You know, is it most Mostly 30 plus white women that make it to this position. Is it disproportionately brown and black people working at the lowest most entry level jobs when there is something happening with a whole segment of a population? Dig deeper? Yes. Dig much deeper. Do the five why’s do multiple don’t just give your first reaction of like, well, it’s probably this Oh, well, it’s probably that. Okay, great. Now that that’s done, now get into the real stuff dig even past that.

Michele: 

Absolutely. Um, I was actually looking at a graphic that was that talks about black professionals career progression. Um, and in that graphic, I can’t remember the gentleman’s name here. I’m connected to on LinkedIn. I’m a tease over at snap, but it literally broke out how black people’s career progression, it broke out. Thanks. Spirit says they were having if they were having issues getting advance advance promotions, if they were having issues getting mentors, so it literally broke out percentages on that it’s over on my Instagram page. If you follow me on Instagram, or the positive hire page, I think it’s in the stories there. But you literally can check it out and look at the percentages. Oftentimes what we’re seeing though, is women of color is wrapped up. And if you go back to the most recent article, which I have posted on is posted on Instagram to somewhere it talks about the percentage of it talks about the number of women CEOs, I thought things like 37 or 34 were white, three were Asian, zero were black 01 were Latina. And the other question was, well, how many were Muslim. So it goes into show you that It’s not as though we aren’t getting degrees, we aren’t getting opportunities and systemic racism, white supremacy is behind all of that. So it is directly, like it says impacting a whole segment of the population. And that happens in organizations every single day. So we’re on to the fourth and final pillar, if you’re still with us put a one in the chat. As we know, this can be a little bit heavy. We understand that. But also share your thoughts. What are you seeing in your organization as it relates to any of these pillars? Because Ben and Jerry’s wrote it to government, like how government government entities should do, and even us as people should hear, but look at it in the framework of an employee like Krystal our doing and what does that look like for your organization? Or what should it look like for your organization? Or what do you want it to look like for you? organization. And these are the things you can share with your er G, you should be able to share it with your C suite so that they can make changes. But I do understand as a black woman, the dangerous you have in speaking up in the workplace, it may not show up today and maybe a year, maybe five years for retaliation against us is very real. And when we take risk at work, it is we have it, it may not work out to us at a higher percentage rate than our counterparts. Okay. I think we have. Okay, we got we got a one. So I’m just okay. And finally, we call on the Department of Justice, to reinvigorate its Civil Rights Division. As a staunch defender of the rights of black and brown people. The DOJ must be must also reinstate policies roll back under the Trump administration, such as consent decrees. to curb police abuses.
Yes, a lot of things that’s been rolled back in the current administration, um, that are directly that were dealt directly in place to fight white supremacy. and removing those or not seeing value in what they did is a detriment to black people in this country. So whatever policies your organization has stopped doing so I, they were talking about Google and how Google knows its numbers are low. But the latest report that came out in May where they were rolling back, they were stopping some of their diversity initiatives. What initiatives have your organization stop implementing? I know they’re the large fin on financial company. This is what their VP said like a year ago to their employees a little more than a year. year ago. And he’s like, we’re going to create a more diverse workplace here we’re looking at working with HBCUs. But we will not lower our standards. And the black people a black person, I talked to them in the room and that was saying like, well, Damn, that’s interesting coming from somebody who’s a VP who has who lacks the experience, and then the the education to be in the role they’re in. So it’s like it was a double standard. They’re going to his historically black college and universities to help diversify their employee base. They weren’t going to lower their standards, but yet, it’s okay. As long as you are not black, and it just that that employee ended up leaving the organization because what they were saying on one side of their mouth did not align to the other side of their mouth. So organizations need to make sure their management upper management is aligned to the policies, procedures and the mission of the organization. And if they are not, they should not be in upper management in your organization. Krystal, I’ll let you jump in here.

KC: 

What I what stood out to me I agree with that is the Civil Rights Division and I’m thinking a lot of folks have been reaching out to me recently saying they want to have a DNI team in their organization. And I think about er G’s and I think about like pockets of groups of people that are oftentimes leaned on to lead diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. But at the same, which is great at the same time, I think sometimes they’re leaned on a little too much and that’s also something else that came out. So I would say there needs to be a balance and like listening to folks and and what and how They want the process to work for them. So there isn’t like a one way to do it that works for every organization, there is a specific way to do it that works for your organization and your people and your culture. So I would allow people to be a part of creating that with you, and not just decide for them what is going to work for them, or not work for them as the CEO or as the TRG, or whatever. It’s just too much placed in one place. And so I do like that there’s these groups that can collect information and provide it and speak the truth to the power up top. Because oftentimes, like Michelle said, we will experience a different type of reaction depending on our identity when we speak up about some racism or other ism happening in the organization. So to me, I would just highlight that as well. And then I was going to just say the last paragraph, a couple things that stood out to me.

 

Michele: 

Okay, let me read this one comment. And then we can go into the last. My organization at Boeing came out on confronting racism, we are having meaningful conversation. As I mentioned before, I just want a need for the dialogue to continue. systemic racism in my mind cannot be fixed by black Americans alone. We need our white American allies to fix it and help with help educate and share like minds with other white Americans absolutely agree. It does. It literally is going we always say a village is going to take all of America to make this these changes happen. I’m going to read the very last sentence of the very last paragraph rather, unless and until white America is willing to collectively acknowledge its privilege. Take responsibility for its past and the impact it has on the present and commit to creating a future steeped in justice. The list of names that George Floyd has been added to will never end. We have to use this moment to accelerate our nation’s long journey towards justice and a more perfect union. Okay, Chris, I’ll let you get started. Because you’re like, I’m ready.

 

KC: 

I got that. These are just the last thoughts that I was thinking. It’s like, we need to collectively acknowledge and I think the last person said it exactly right. We need everyone working on this really shifting. The mindset from this is a black problem to this is an all of us problem. And we need to take responsibility for the past absolutely an impact and the impact it has on the present. And I’m going to highlight because I am starting a book club and reading how to be an anti racist. And to be honest, I’ve been flirting my anger has been flaring up in myself, because I have thought okay, what can I do to benefit black people, but at the same time, what can I do to benefit myself To get more and root out more of the racism in me, in the society in the workplace so that generations ahead of us don’t have to work so hard to root out the racism that has been implanted in us since the day we were born. Or since the day we were raised and starting to be conditioned in the white supremacy society that we live in. So yes, it’s about disproportionately murdered black men and women and trans folks at the hands of police. And it is building the future world that we deserve by rooting it out of us and rooting it out of the systems that baked it into us so that other generations don’t have to do the hard work of unlearning. And learning is super hard. And I’m annoyed that I have to spend so much of my time on learning it. And I’m annoyed because I just know that if we were in a society that didn’t have this, we wouldn’t have to do all this work to get rid of it. So I think it’s yes and yes, we need to support and recognize with a capital bead the black community that is in our society that has disproportionately harmed as well as what is inside of us and how that is harming us.

 

Michele: 

Absolutely agree. I want to go because I know we’re way over time. Um, we have to use this moment to accelerate. So that doesn’t mean you know what, the next time this happened, I’m gonna be there like, no, the time is now. You are here. Let’s do this work. Um, and so any, any, they literally say our nation’s long journey, accelerate a long journey, they know it’s going to take a long time. So it didn’t take us a short time to get here. And it won’t take us a short time to get to an anti racist society here in the US, but they’re like this can accelerate that journey. So As a marathon, you can do sprints. I’m just saying let’s sprint this out. And and let’s get to the end of this marathon sooner than later. All right. Okay, Krystal, any last thoughts you want to share?

KC: 

Now I put out all my thoughts at this point

Michele: 

where everybody who hung out with us this entire time, if you’re watching the replay, we really, really do want to say thank you for joining us. Be sure to include your thoughts, your interpretations, like how can you use this action plan to help implement things with inside your organization, to share to your C suite. These are the things we should be doing within our organization to make change to create an anti racist organization, because it is truly truly there. Thanks, Kathleen. So everybody, we will be back next week. Again, talking about anti racism, talking about the things that should be gone. On that are happening, right? They may not be as widespread and as deep as what Ben and Jerry has put out and are consistently working towards. But guess what? You can accelerate it now. You can accelerate it today. And it literally will take a collective to break down anti racism here in the US. Alright everybody, we will see you next week Thursday by 1pm East Coast time.

All right, bye bye.