This Week's Opening Thought: December 5, 2022

This week's opening thought: I've had many companies and team leaders reach out to me for equity and anti-racism training and consultation over the years. During this time, I would say that half of those who've reached out to me for my services seek someone to convince their white leaders and team members that they should care about every person they work with. And that's one of the core problems with what many people believe equity and anti-racism work is: finding ways to dupe someone into caring for others.

There is no method or belief system built into equity and anti-racism work that can "convince" someone to care about the lives and societal and generational trauma of others. No one should have to be "convinced" that they should care about others. No one should have to con someone into being a human being that cares for others without kudos and photo ops. You can't trick someone into caring about Black lives, queer lives, and the struggles of Global Majority communities. You can't sucker someone into caring about accessibility and safer, braver spaces for all.

If you can't care about others without someone massaging your ego and constantly reinforcing your need to believe you're a good person? Then I'm still not convincing you to care.

I'm being asked to give you a participation award while co-signing and normalizing your lack of interest in empathy and compassion unless it benefits you in some way.

And you're asking me to do this as a Black man in the United States.

You're asking people who are a part of communities that are consciously and unconsciously harmed by those you want them to "convince" to do the heavy lifting. And if you're seeking those services, you've likely convinced yourself that this was the only way this work could be done in your organization.

I'm convinced many of y'all need more than convincing.