Transforming One Million Realities

Within organizations there is a need to cultivate an understanding of some of the equity issues that professionals face daily. Many employers have developed harmful policies and procedures that are in line with cultural norms. Although the intentions might be to promote equality in the workforce, the outcome tends to uphold, maintain and solidify structures that are steeped in racism and inequity. A large part of challenging the existing structures that uphold poor outcomes for the marginalized and oppressed is to begin to find ways to have courageous conversations. These conversations taking place in training, staff meetings, on the yard, after-hours or at anytime that staff are together starts the process of holding institutions and the people that make up the institutions do the work that is necessary to create change. Changes in race-based data collection are starting to demonstrate what those of us that have been on the ground, in the classrooms and the lecture halls have been saying for years; the disproportionalities and disparities for the marginalized in all systems needs to be addressed and confronted head on. Integrating anti-racism and equity into every level of the organization starts with the conversation.