I'm NOT your average diversity and inclusion speaker and trainer and here's why...
Diversity is dead and inclusion is an illusion in white spaces and places. If people of color are NOT showing up in your spaces, you don't have a diversity and inclusion problem, you have a racism problem. And if they do show up they may not fully engage or stay.
When people of color don't show up in predominantly white spaces it's a 100% guarantee that they will experience racism. Why? Because racism occurs wherever white people are. Especially in spaces where white folk are NOT on The Journey to Allyship and doing their own internal anti-racism work.
I'm NOT talking about blatant text book and overt racism. I'm talking about the insidious ways that racist thoughts, beliefs, statements and behaviors permeate white spaces that cause people of color to be silenced, marginalized, stressed and oppressed.
This is a hard pill to swallow for most white people, nevertheless one that they must if they want to build trusting relationships with people of color. One that must be digested daily in order to get people of color to come to your spaces and places. And one that must be metabolized repeatedly if you want to BE non-oppressive and engage with people of color non-violently.
Diversity and inclusion education and strategies are ONLY effective once leaders, managers, companies and organizations deal with their racism problem. This may sound unpopular, and it is and it's also the truth.
If you're ready to learn how to start your own Journey to Allyship, begin doing your own anti-racism work and or ready to dismantle the racism within your group, club, company or organization, then I am the speaker, trainer or consultant for you.
I promise that if you see, address and dismantle the racism within your space and places, people of color will come, stay and thrive.