On Acronyms, Action, and Schoolhouse Rock

(Not so) hot take: legitimate equity and inclusion an acronym or committee does not make.

All of the BJEDI, JEDI, IDEA, DEI, EDI, and other assorted acronyms you can come up with will not replace action and initiatives that gradually build stronger and more sustainable workplace cultures. Acronyms don't matter if you aren't putting in the work. Acronyms are just words. Those words are nouns until you make them verbs and just verbs until you decide to put in the hard work that makes them action verbs.

Schoolhouse Rock taught a whole generation that but you wouldn’t know it by lookin’ at that generation running victory laps with their acronyms and committees.

On "Other Duties As Assigned"

I don't make the memes. The memes make themselves.

Can we talk about how we are long overdue for removing the toxic concept of "other duties as assigned" from job descriptions and job postings?

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for federal employees [read: federal], "other duties as assigned" is meant to refer to minor tasks related to a role, so every possible scenario doesn't need to be stated in contracts, job descriptions, and related documentation. The issues for me lie in one place: this is a loophole of legalese used to work the crap out of people and push multiple jobs under one job description. Over time, non-federal jobs began to base most of their job-building practices on these guidelines, too. It's a trap for all of us, regardless of the sector we work in.

You can't plan for every possible scenario because no job is built in a wind tunnel. There will always be some functions of your role that evolve or possibly change on a given day or with a given situation. That should be expected because human beings and workplaces can be unpredictable at times. But when it comes to most jobs, the addition of "other duties as assigned" at the end of a job posting or job description has less to do with possibilities and more to do with "how can we legally merge two jobs into one when we're regularly short-staffed?" How many times have you found yourself legitimately stuck with doing random tasks and whatnot that have nothing to do with your job? Most of our jobs find us doing extra things that stray away from the jobs we applied for and accepted. Our organizations are constantly short-staffed in various areas and use this clause to fill long-term staffing gaps instead of an interim tool with a timeline. We, as employees, deserve better.

Employers need to evaluate job descriptions and make sure they are clear regarding job duties and feasible performance expectations at least annually (preferably twice a year). Employees need to be a part of that discussion around job duties; that way, you know if the position has evolved and whether or not tasks should be added or removed. And you should do this because it will allow you to build and maintain up-to-date job descriptions focused on the legitimate duties of the position that do not treat people like stop-gap measures. And employers need to evaluate why people leave their organizations and begin the messy long-term work of repairing and rebuilding hiring processes and retention. If you aren't constantly short-staffed, you have no reason to push for "other duties as assigned." Easier said than done? Of course. That doesn’t mean you don’t do it, though.

Consider it your duty to remove “other duties.”

On Popping Champagne, "Firsts", and Clout Chasing

Image Description: A small group of people are popping a bottle of champagne. The champagne is flowing out of the bottle, frothing. The people are laughing and all share gleeful expressions. The group is all white except for one token Black woman.

If your company, organization, or institution is 60+ years old and you’re popping champagne and celebrating having “firsts” - first female Vice President, first Black Executive Director, first trans Department Lead, first Black female CEO - and these “firsts” are being brought into your company, organization, or institution without support systems and co-conspirators to make transformational and sustainable culture change happen you aren’t “progressive” or “focused on equity and inclusion.”

You’re a tokenizer and clout chaser.

Hope you’re enjoying that champagne, though. I hear the bubbles can tickle your nose, so keep an eye out for that.

Consulting and Coaching for EDI Consultants and Trainers is Here!

So announcement time! I am now offering anti-racism consulting, equity and inclusion consulting, burnout mitigation guidance, and overall support for anti-racism and equity trainers, facilitators, and consultants.

I know from experience how heavy, draining, and isolating this work can be. I’ve faced periods of burnout, fatigue, and shaken faith in the purpose of this hard but necessary work. I’ve been fortunate enough to come out of the other side of these struggles with new practices to center my mental and emotional health and well-being while de-centering the guilt and failure that can often come with doing this vital work in white supremacist workplaces. I want to take my decade of experience in the trenches, implementing difficult change in workplaces while centering myself to have the energy to support others, dismantle feelings of guilt and failure, and de-center whiteness to work for other EDI consultants, trainers, and facilitators.

The goal of this service? To offer consultants something that isn’t always accessible or available to them: a thought partner with experience implementing and executing short-term and long-term strategies while supporting EDI practitioners and leading groups and networking events tailored to giving EDI practitioners a community in an isolating field of work.

So many EDI practitioners are doing this work in areas and regions of the United States where they do not have a team, thought partners, accomplices, or general support in their endeavors. So many folx across the United States want to begin careers focused on pushing for equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in systems and workplaces but don’t know where to start or what their focus should be. Thanks to technology, though, I can offer support and insight to folx nationwide and help you fulfill your goals in this work while taking care of yourself. This means we can work together to remove those barriers to thought partnership, learning, coaching, and community and help EDI practitioners find their mental, emotional, and physical footing in this work.

Are you thinking of starting a career in equity and inclusion but are unsure of where to start? I can help you navigate what approaches and focus areas will utilize and amplify your lived experience, perspectives, and talents.

Are you an EDI consultant, trainer, or facilitator who is struggling with burnout and feelings of failure? I can help you begin re-centering yourself inside and outside of your work and embrace ways to take care of your mental and emotional health.

Are you an EDI consultant, trainer, or facilitator who is struggling to get over the white fragility/violence discomfort wall with a client? I can help you get your head around building and implementing new approaches to discussion and training that can break down those barriers while de-centering white comfort.

Are you an EDI consultant, trainer, or facilitator who is struggling with feeling isolated in your work and looking for not only solidarity but a thought partner and confidant? I can be your thought partner and a new line of support.

My rate for these specially focused consults is $150 for one (1) 60-90 minute session; a 4-session package is available for $550. The initial meeting to discuss your needs and focus areas and to ascertain if I am the right fit for the support you’re seeking is free. If you decide to move forward with me after the initial consult I will begin my work with you collaborating on building a roadmap regarding what we’ll be working on/focusing on together that is flexible yet centered on your needs and goals. We will use that roadmap to kickstart our work.

If you are an anti-racism and equity trainer, facilitator, or consultant and you think I might be able to help you with any of the above (or possibly even something not listed above) please feel free to drop me a line so we can take action together!

Scared

Two days ago, I was told that the white people with power and positionality at work are scared of me. I was then told that I make them uncomfortable because I talk about racism, oppression, white supremacy, and dismantling hatred and oppression in the workplace and our communities without baby gloves.

...I just wanted to share that. Don't really have too much to add to that. I mean, that speaks for itself, doesn't it? I knew they felt this way. I've known since day one. I know that most white people think this way about me. But having a white person with more power and positionality than you tell you this out loud in a meeting with a nervous chuckle because even they are scared of you and hope you don't call them out really hits you a particular kind of way. I sat with it for a couple of days, talked with my therapist about it, and I'm doing OK. It's out of my control. It is what it is. White people gonna white people. And Pharoah's gonna keep being Pharoah. Que sera.

Happy Thursday.