Now that February has come to an end, it’s important to consider how to continue combating anti-Black racism all year long. Below is some information from the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion on how to be a better ally to Black communities.
Call to Action
Source: Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion Sustaining the Black Lives Matter Movement in the Workplace toolkit (2021)
Non-Black employees can sustain the BLM movement by striving to be allies to Black employees. Allies actively seek to understand, earn trust, continuously educate themselves and show accountability for their mistakes and repair work relationships when harm has been done.
Part of being an ally is acknowledging your privilege and using it to support others. One way to begin this journey is by asking yourself:
- What privilege do I have because of my race, education, gender, sexual orientation, ability, socio-economic background, etc.?
- How can I use that privilege to support/amplify colleagues?
- Are there opportunities in my workplace to listen to the lived experience of Black colleagues? If not, how can I support/advocate for the creation of these spaces?
- What educational initiatives can I participate in/start to promote diversity and inclusion at my workplace?
- What can I do to be an agent of change within my spheres of influence?
Want more tips? Click Here to Download the Toolkit