Tag: racism

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“DEI Hire”

I have been a recruiter in one form or another since 1991, 33 years.  I started in 1991 as an Admissions Counselor at Kansas City Art Institute about a month or so after I graduated.  So that 33 years is new. 

So until about 1998 or 1999 I traveled the US talking to high school students, looking at their portfolios and talked to them about a fine art education.  Then I decided, or had this idea that if I can talk to kids and parents about going to a private liberal arts college, I should be able to talk to managers and people about jobs.  So I branched out.

Started in the right place.  A creative staffing agency placing designers in companies and agencies all over Portland.  Made some life long friends(family) there.  Then a small advertising agency, a footwear company, education & training, staffing again, finance, Animation, a shipyard, healthcare and now technology.

This isn’t something I sought out.  I fell into it. Not the career I ever thought I’d have.  I have been reading and looking at resumes for 25 years, give or take.  It’s been encouraging, enlightening, discouraging, boring, sad, hilarious and absolutely completely exhausting.  

I’ve been reading resumes and talking to people to determine qualifications 5 days a week for 25 years.  I started a very long time ago, going straight to the content I don’t look at or I move quickly past the name.  That means nothing.  What I am looking for is, have they done what I am looking for or something close to it.  Is it the same industry.  I look at education later. Then I talk to them. How do they talk about what they have done.  Can they talk about what they’ve done?

Most of the companies that I have worked for have goals for diversity, equity and inclusion goals.  Why?  Because they realize what they have been missing.  And remarkably, if they didn’t do that, it wouldn’t be done to the degree it is or should. We have been hiring skill, quality and experience by the person who looks like us.  And for the most part, that’s a white guy.  Sorry white guy, not sorry. Also a white woman.

So, if I see someone say this person or that person being a “DEI Hire” and I see it I will have to comment.  And if I don’t see it, I’ll say it here, you are being racist and taking the easy road by not just using the n-word.  So just say it. Or maybe dig a little deeper before you do say it.

I heard the other day from a black woman who teaches and speaks about anti-racism who asked, have you ever called a white person a white supremacy hire? Or a white privilege hire? Do you refer to disabled people, disability hires? Can you tell me about the extensive research you did into their professional and education background that allows you to use a racist dog whistle to challenge their qualifications?  –Ashani Mfuko

I’ve said this before.  It’s not always understood for some reason.  But.  I have scrutinized and drilled into the skills, experience and qualification of a footwear designer far more than some of you have considered in your choice for President of the United States. What am I saying?  There are more requirements to make your shoes than to run your country. 

What if the qualifications for President were:

X number of years in the house or Senate  

X number of years in pubic service, government, city or state 

X number of years managing multiple agencies or divisions

X number of years managing budget, finance, P&L

X number of years of foreign and domestic experience (OF ANY KIND)

Degree in Political Science, Finance, Foreign Policy, (something like this) plus ten (10) years of professional experience.  Advanced degree preferred.

Then like most hires who will work for many companies a background and credit check.  How about a drug screen?

And imagine if you knew who you were in competition with for the job you were interviewing for and you had to speak about them in public as part of the interview process and they got to speak about you.  Fun, right?  Both parties do this and it is pointless, useless and offers nothing except perpetuate the ridiculous nonsense it is giving lies weight and value.

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Racism

When I think about what I know about racism, I know that I have a lot to learn. I have only hit the surface, the top of the iceberg. But I am trying. I realized that I am far from understanding the depth and breadth of this insidious ideology. I do know that when I read or see what today I know to be racist, my heart stops, and my shoulders drop. More often than not, tears come to my eyes from that lump in my throat that pushes it’s way out. How to I make it stop?

I am naive, yet realistic in the fact that this is the largest mountain, obstacle, issue we face as a nation. I don’t think it’s because there are more racists than not. It’s that idea of our ability to become anti racists and stop every action we see and hear no matter how small or large.

It is many things. It comes in word. It comes in song. I comes in spray paint on a wall, or a billboard. It comes in a statue that was set to honor someone who demoralized and dehumanized other human beings. That in and of itself can come in many forms. Mental and physical. Through the abuse of ownership and belittling. Oppression and suppression, taking away the ability for another human to do more than they did yesterday. Or even in their lifetime.

I do have a lot to learn. However, I know this much is true, the more I read and listen to black voices, the more angry I get. The more exhausted I feel. And that’s not just me describing my feeling, yes I feel it, but the anger and the exhaustion that I am feeling is what I hear in those voices. The pure exhaustion of BIPOC just trying to leave the house, drive a car, go to the park, on their sofa watching TV, in their bed sleeping peacefully, get the job they are more than qualified for, being heard in a meeting and then not getting credited for what they have just said. Raising their hands, getting handcuffed and still killed. The pure exhaustion of even trying to act like it’s not there, that it’s not real, that some behind there smiles are ready to cut them back and put them in their place. Imagine you had to exist every day with the straight up aggression of someone questioning you doing something in your own damn front yard or a micro-aggression done with a smile. I can’t even imagine either or which is worse.

We have troubling laws and policies that support this insidious behavior. Yes, laws that make much of this not even an offense, but ok. This is NOT OK! And we have some law enforcement that are color blind and only see black and see their only action is, to put them in their place. This is not who any of us should be, but I fear who we are. Because if we don’t stop it, what are we?

People are in the streets. As they should be. Honestly, if you really look back at history and not the “history” in the history books, but true, actual history. None of us would be where we are today if someone didn’t go into the streets and say, this is wrong. And I honestly don’t think some of us get that. I also honestly believe that some don’t get that those people in the streets are protecting us all from what this administration is trying to strip from us every day. The very thing that men and women volunteer to fight for us every day.

People are breaking windows and steeling things. Stealing “THINGS”! Things that these very large companies have insurance for and will loose nothing in the grand scheme of things. The loss is infinitesimal to the loss of life. Do you not agree? How about we get as outraged about someone who was killed for no reason and stop worrying about who got away with a material object. What is our fascination and allegiance with objects and not people? When did a shoe, a tv, a handbag, or a phone become more important than a human life?

I have no answers. My heart aches every day as I listen and hear black voices asking to just be treated equally and not seen as the enemy. To be considered human.

I have more listening to do.

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don't speak...don't speak!

I am a Racist

I am a racist.  (Facebook post 8.12.2020)

I believe this is the only way to move forward. And this is where I get in trouble, some of you are too. 

For almost 60 years I’ve carried with me unconsciously and I hope now consciously a bias of white privilege. Stay with me if you will or go ahead and unfriend. I’ve been unfriended for lesser statements.  

“Denial is the heartbeat of racism” Ibram X. Kendi

If you are white and you say that you are not a racist, I feel that is not a whole truth. We need to listen more, read a more, take it all in. And hear what is being said. The good, bad, and the ugly. I have some bad news for us, we are racists. But. But…I know, I know. We are. But we can turn that into becoming an antiracist and fight for true equality, democracy, justice, and that ‘there is nothing right or wrong with any racial group’(IXK). This does not happen overnight.

“Being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.” Ibram X. Kendi

Deep in my heart, I am making every effort to stop this insidious disease. Yes, I believe it is a disease. An odd one that is taught and unconsciously perpetuated. Even sometimes consciously taught. I will own it and continue my pledge to do everything in my power to become an antiracist, personally and professionally. I will also become more aware of and engaged politically, locally, and nationally to ensure that racist laws and policies are eradicated.

I will work to consciously, instead of unconsciously work for instead of against our brothers, sisters, and cousins. Not just personally but institutionally to eradicate all laws, rules and policy that disenfranchise BIPOC.

With the murder of George Floyd the spotlight on racism and division has intensified. Who might be responsible for that? Guess what, it is our responsibility. Ours alone, yours and mine, it belongs to no one else. Not ANY politician, it is US. If we accept what we think a leader does or tells us as truth or if we believe a meme we see someone post that speaks of division, you are playing into their hand. We, you, me, that person sitting next to you, we are the ones that are responsible for letting this terrible thing happen. My Mom always said, others don’t make you feel this or that, you let them. Passing blame is lazy and unbecoming someone who claims to be a loving caring human of other humans. Do not claim to be about love or acceptance then spread hate from or about anyone.
 
DO SOMETHING.  
SAY SOMETHING
DO NOT ACCEPT HATE. PERIOD
BE THE DIFFERENCE
#BELOVE
#BLACKLIVESMATTER 

If you got this far, thank you. I will be away from here for the rest of the week, maybe longer. Some days my heart can’t take what I see and read here. So I am not ignoring anyone who comments. Although I don’t expect any. I don’t expect much other than maybe some ‘unfriending”.