It’s important for us to call out instances of racism, but that cannot be a substitute for doing the hard work of dismantling the systems of racism.
If you’re white, look around your workplace and notice the policies and practices that make it easier for white people to be successful. Change those so that they provide everyone with an equal opportunity to be successful.
If you’re in academia, this could mean working to remove the GRE requirement for your grad admissions, or taking focus off of admissions criteria that depend on privilege.
It could mean looking at the ways that information is shared in “informal” meetings where not everyone is present and making change to move those discussions to meetings where everyone has a seat at the table.
Notice the behaviors or cultures that are rewarded and promoted and ask whether those are diverse or whether they are white-centric. Look for opportunities to change the promotion and reward structure.
There are lots of things we can and should do nationally, but it’s important not to overlook the systems of racism that are right in front of us every day in our workplace, and where we have the greatest potential to create change.
