Last week, we reached the one year mark of the genocide in Palestine. Since then, more than 40,000 Palestians have been killed and millions more displaced. The invasion has now spread to Lebanon, raising its threat of further spreading across the Middle East.
Ta-Nehisi Coates’ newest book “The Message” and its subsequent media run provides helpful food for thought and deeper reflection, especially as Black and Brown people, on the genocide and overall history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. On a recent episode of NPR’s Fresh Air, he states:
“But I have to tell you when I am in a place and half the population, is enshrined as citizens. And the other half is somehow enshrined as something less, that's not complicated to me. That's not complicated to me at all. When I am on the West Bank, as I said, and the majority of the people are subjected literally to a separate system of justice, that's not complex to me. That's wrong.”
The suffering and violence that Palestinian communities, and now Lebanese communities, continue to experience is unconscionable— but it is not incomprehensible or impossible to change.
No, Equity and Justice Aren’t Too Hard to Create
This theme of the oppression of Black and Brown people being a topic that is too complicated or complex to address and change is one that also exists in America, especially in our labor force. Companies and organizations turn a blind eye to injustices that face Black and Brown employees because it would make them too uncomfortable to face the reality of the harm they’ve caused.
The pursuit of justice and righting the wrongs that people of color have been subjected to at the hands of White Supremacy Culture is often framed as a feat that would be too complicated or impossible to do. On the job, challenging that belief is a critical first step in shifting the energy and perspective around eradicating anti-Blackness and racism.
What Does It All Mean for the Field of DEI?
We’ve talked about the limiting beliefs that stall DEI progress on this blog before, and those sentiments still ring true today. The limiting belief that advancing DEI values and tangibly shifting the experience that Black and Brown people have at work is too challenging to do anything about is what keeps the White Supremacy Culture thriving.
Real world applications of what these limiting beliefs sound like can include:
We don’t have the budget for it: While budgets are a factor, has your organization reconsidered where it can reallocate funds to support its DEI strategy? Leading with not having the funds for it squelches conversations that otherwise could lead to meaningful progress.
We couldn’t possibly tackle the magnitude of this problem: While DEI work can be challenging, with intention and concerted effort, it can be used to solve major challenges for a company just as other major organizational threats are problem solved for.
As we continue to advocate for the liberation of Palestinian people, it’s important to remain aware of how the same harmful beliefs that keep the genocide ongoing are also beliefs that continue to keep Black and Brown people oppressed on U.S. soil. Injustice is not impossible to understand and equity is not impossible to build— schedule a call with ShiftED today to begin your journey to experience these possibilities today.
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