I’ve learned that most white people are not interested in having honest conversations about race.
I am used to talking about race. I am a Black woman and an attorney. I am also an equal employment opportunity officer, a position referred to as chief diversity officer in some organizations.
My career has always been contoured by race. Being a Black woman whose job is to talk about inequality has presented unique challenges because I’ve experienced sexism, racism and other forms of discrimination in the very same institutions in which I worked to create more equitable and inclusive workplaces for others.
Although I stayed on the case, I didn’t adequately defend myself. Only a few years out of law school, I was more concerned about proving how competent I was than pointing out the racism these two women had exhibited. It was often easier for me to defend other people, including white women who had discriminated against me, than it was to defend myself.
In my efforts over the years to make workplaces more inclusive and equitable, I’ve had to discuss inconvenient truths about racism and discrimination with many white people. I’ve seen people’s biases, contradictions and motivations — even when they voted for Obama or have Black friends.
I’ve learned that most white folks don’t like to hear Black people’s views about anti-Blackness and racism because it makes them uncomfortable and requires a level of self-awareness beyond merely saying, 'I am not a racist.'
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