There is something missing from your corporate responses

I have become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of corporate responses to racism and racial injustices in the past week. If you read my last post, you know that I never expected any corporation to address any of this. I expected this to be another moment when we share how shocked and outraged we all are around the proverbial watercooler. This week has thrown me a loop in many ways, but I still feel like there is something off about how our corporations are choosing to denounce racism and support their associates.

My issue starts with the reactionary nature of these addresses. Corporations are racing to not miss the moment. But this is not a moment. This is a reality that Black people face every day. We need to think about sustaining these conversations and creating long term culture change. This is a reality that does not only exist outside of the walls of these corporations. It exists within the walls of our workplaces, our teams, and our systems. Institutional racism is just that: institutionalized. I have not seen many corporations own their own role in the perpetuation of this racism, sexism, and all of the other isms in our society.

I have seen many messages state the “we support and stand with our Black associates”, but what does that mean.

I have so many questions. I am proud to say that I work at an institution where we are having these discussions and asking these questions of ourselves. I am disheartened that more corporations (even my own) did not feel it necessary to include their faults in their response to this moment. We will never be able to sustain if we continue to think that this moment exists only outside of our walls.

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