Welcome to an episode #3 of 2021! For this episode I got together with the amazing author, blogger and story-teller Hannah Drake to talk about, what is the role of an ally and how to be and do better as an ally.
Please note: some of the material we cover on this episode, in relation to racism and slavery, some people might find upsetting.
In most parts of the world, we’re finally engaging in substantive conversations about a once untouchable issue: the white privilege. The #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, as well as the systemic inequalities ingrained in our systems, structures, processes and institutions have been laid bare by the Covid-19 pandemic and have forced people in positions of power to realise that they must step up to make organisations more diverse, fair, and inclusive.
For too long, leaders from the privileged groups have helped perpetuate the system that favours them, by relegating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts to human resources or another employee group who engage in this work as a side project and rarely get remunerated for the extra work and emotional load this puts on them. Very few understand the problem and what steps they can take to be effective allies with marginalised groups.
Hannah is from Tennessee, US, and has seen and experienced a lot of the systematic racism first hand. Now her life's work is to speak up about these issues and very boldly share this through her blogs, articles and books. On this episode we covered:
1) Terminology: Language rules everything!
2) Who told you this is going to feel good?
3) Being a 'good person' doesn't mean you are anti-racist or an ally
4) 'White-washing' of history
5) Show me a place that white people have made better!
Liked the conversation? Let me know by rating & reviewing this podcast and engage in the conversation on Twitter by using #changeagentpodcast.
You can follow and reach out to Hannah via:
Twitter: @HannahDrake628
Instagram: hannahdrake628
Website: www.writesomeshit.com
Get in touch with Baiba via:
Twitter: @BaibaZiga and @Consulting_LHC
LinkedIn & Instagram: Baiba Ziga
E-mail: info@lakehouse-consulting.com
Website: www.lakehouse-consulting.com (subscribe to a weekly newsletter with handpicked articles, podcasts, videos and books)
Baiba is a People and Culture Transformation Consultant, with passion for cultural intelligence and leadership development. Get in touch with Baiba to talk about how she can help your organisation with cultural intelligence and leadership development on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion topics.
Sources quotes & further reading:
https://reflections.yale.edu/article/future-race/becoming-trustworthy-white-allies
https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/kivel3.pdf
https://www.forbes.com/sites/elissasangster/2020/09/28/how-allyship-makes-workplaces-more-inclusive/?sh=515704e884ae
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/socf.12148
https://hbr.org/2020/11/be-a-better-ally