I’ve gotten no fewer than 10 emails today to come talk to someone’s company tomorrow about the mvmt. no fewer than 10 emails with advice from “history and politics buffs” about how to “really take everything over.” Meanwhile, helicopters have been circling my house for a week.
I’m feeling a little crispy around the edges today, so I wanna say this with love. No. I’m not available tomorrow to talk about inclusion. I probably won’t be available the next day either. Or the next week. Or month. That’s not the work I do.
I would be happy to talk with you about policy change you can support right now. Are you willing to do it? There is a very developed field of people who do diversity and inclusion work. I can do that work, but I choose NOT to do that work.
No, I cannot come talk to your team tomorrow. Have you talked with your team though? Hired black people into senior positions? Given money to organizations and projects that build power in black communities? Made Black people safe on your platforms?
I’m glad you’re showing up, but I am not a substitute for the work y’all need to do. I want to come LISTEN to the work you’re doing to make black lives matter. Money is good. But how are Black people leading in your organization? Not just in D+I — but your whole strategy?
There are some who have made it a priority to visit your company and wax poetic about the movement. Seven years into this shit and I’ll tell you — that ain’t me. If I spent all my time doing that, I wouldn’t have time to do the work I do for Black folk to be powerful.
Would you want me to stop that for a lunchtime speaker series? Or could you maybe call the thousands of firms that specialize in that? My loves, this isn’t black history month. There’s a war on our communities. We must ACT accordingly. #BlackLivesMatter
