February was Black History Month, and we're now officially into Women's History Month. So "what's next?" as in: Women's History Month. And "what's next?" as in: racial equity and justice work doesn't end with February.

Before we dig in I want to acknowledge the efforts of so many Black-led Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) within organizations, who invested a ton of time and energy into education, discussions, guest speakers, and advocacy work.

If you took part in leading these efforts, I hope that you have the space to rest, celebrate, and take time for you. And I hope that your organization pays you WELL for your work and values you tremendously. 

If you are not Black and supported these efforts, I hope that you are continuing to advocate for your Black colleagues to be paid for their efforts, and for your organization to continue this work for the long haul.

1. Women's History Month:

Thinking back to my experiences with corporate, social impact, and nonprofit organizational programming about Women's History Month, the stories shared, celebrations hosted, and advocacy work through this month far too often centered white women. 

And frustratingly, leaders in organizations frequently treat Women's History Month as they do Black History Month: an opportunity for social gatherings, rather than a reminder of why we are committed to transformative equity and justice work.

That was my own experience growing up in school too, and while as a small child, I would often call out "WHERE ARE THE GIRLS?" when encountering groups or images in which only cisgender men were depicted, I can't remember a time when I specifically called out whiteness.

So these are some of the questions I'm reflecting on at the start of this new month: 

1. Why aren't Black women's stories, celebrations, and needs at the center of women's history month celebrations? 
2. What are the ways in which I am participating in, and perpetuating the legacy of white women's anti-Black racism?
3.  When have I contributed to the erasure of Black women by centering white women, including myself?

I encourage you to reflect on these questions, too - especially if you look like me, or benefit from white, cisgender, non-disabled, heterosexual, class, and/or religious privilege.

There are more times than I can count when I passively or actively contributed to this harm. Times when I didn't speak up, believed myself to be an exceptional white person, or actively sought out and invested into white women at the expense of Black women.

And perhaps also because women - especially white women - are raised to be terrified of fucking up or being seen as "bad," as Rachel Ricketts explains in her book "Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy." 

As I read this incredible gift of a book, I am learning just how much harm my need to be "good and right" (as Rachel says) perpetuates white supremacy, through inaction, performance, dissociation, and disconnection. 

I would love love love love love for you to read Rachel's book and invest in her work, AND, here are some ground rules of engagement:

1. Review Rachel's "Read First" highlight ➡️LINK
2. Fellow white folks, before commenting or sharing, reflect that you are not doing harm, and if there is even a small chance that you could be, do not comment.
3. If you have a question for Rachel, please search the internet first. 

If you agree to the above, here are some ways to work with Rachel Ricketts:

• Read - Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy
• Learn - Spiritual Activism
• Follow - on Instagram: @iamRachelRicketts

2. Racial equity and justice work doesn't end with February

It's easy for organizations to show up with quotes from Black leaders during Black History Month, but what does the real work require? 

For example, at the federal level in the U.S., it's the difference between thanking Black women for their efforts in an election vs. cancelling student debt as Representative Ayanna Pressley calls for in this tweet:

And at the organizational level, it's the difference between attending a virtual town hall organized by Black leaders in a company or putting out a statement on your website vs. having transparent salary bands in your company, paying people for their work with ERGs, holding employees and executives accountable for racism, and SO many other ways to genuinely support Black employees.

One way that I am learning a TON about truly transformational equity and justice within organizations is from Thamarrah Jones' podcast, "As It Should Be with Thamarrah Jones." 

 For example:

• In Thamarrah's interview with Nagela Dales (episode 2), Nagela explains the biases built into the innovation world and how to challenge these biases, and she calls on brands to center communities of color in research.
• In Thamarrah's interview with Serian Strauss (episode 6), Serian talks about white supremacy in the workplace, and shared insights about talking to kids about diversity that are brilliant for parents and caregivers.
• In Thamarrah's interview with Patrice M. Palmer (episode 7), Patrice shined a light on the ways in which white women benefit most from DEI work, and do the least to use privilege to support Black colleagues. Yup. 
• In Thamarrah's interview with River Bunkley (episode 10), River encourages us all to lean into imagination to achieve justice and equity. He also brings to the surface the urgent need to focus on equity and justice in tech.

I have been recommending Thamarrah's podcast to a ton of people and if you haven't listened to it yet, I strongly encourage it. 

AND, as with showing up in Rachel's space, please also take the time to reflect before engaging with Thamarrah's spaces. 

Thamarrah Jones

• Listen - As It Should Be with Thamarrah Jones (listen wherever you get your podcasts!)
• Visit - Thamarrah's website
• Follow - on Instagram: @thamarrahjones and on Linkedin: Thamarrah Jones

3. What's next 

There is so much incredible writing, speaking, and creative work by Black people in the world, and yet, even if white people read, listened to, and watched ALL of it, it could never be enough without the inner work and the honest, scary AF work of uncovering the ways we've all participated in anti-Black racism.

You may have seen this article back in June 2020 by Tre Johnson, "When black people are in pain, white people just join book clubs."

"Still learning how to be allies yet never making amends to us," he says.

In that spirit, I want to leave us with 2 more questions - specifically for fellow white folks:

• What is the inner work I need to do to support Black equity and justice?
• What amends do I need to make? And why haven't I made those amends yet? (and please don't reach out to Black people with a general "SORRY FOR RACISM!" message. 🙃 This is about taking the time to acknowledge the harm you've done - first on your own).

And finally, I cannot tell you the many hours I spent writing this, spinning my brain about how manage my need to be perceived as an "exceptional white woman." It's not pretty and it IS very messy and I 100% know that I have still fallen into white surpremacist tendencies within this post. 

I acknowledge that ALL of these insights, asks, and reflections come directly from Black, Indigenous, and People of color educators, speakers, and activists. 

Thank you for reading, reflecting, and holding me accountable.

Julia