For the Black and minority community, the “whitening” of culture within the workplace has been a challenging and ongoing issue that leads employees feeling excluded. What we’ve seen at the workplace is Black employees trying to look and sound a certain way as a way to adjust to the whole dominant culture of their own protection and be treated as well as seen as equal. 

In the Forbes article “What White People Need To Know About Racial Trauma In The Workplace”, Rebecca Zucker explains that it all starts with the difference between racial discrimination being “common”, but that should not be seen as “normal”.

The topic surrounding race is not talked about enough, it is often dismissed especially within the work environment. However, in order to change this reality, it is also important to dive into this discomfort of talking about race and having courageous white listeners understand the Black community’s points of view, hardships, and their true selves. 

It’s important to note, that is not enough to only acknowledge the program but taking action is an absolute must if we wanted to find a real solution. It is important to apply the emphasis on racial justice on a daily basis to truly recognize the issue and solve it to then equalize the opportunities among all workers and this begins at the top, with employers who often set the example. Only through leadership and accountability will it become possible to take serious acts of equality to make all work environments safe for every person of every race. 

Click here to read the full Forbes article.