As a leader of a nonprofit or social enterprise, some form of justice is already at the heart of your work. You’re fighting for a cause because it’s worthy of your attention and your voice. It’s true, it’s right, it’s just.
So, if you aren’t already involved in the conversation regarding racial justice, now is the time to join in—no matter what issues you’re already working on. Racism is a virus, and each of us is susceptible.
You’ve, of course, seen overt and horrific examples played out on a national stage, but the real work—the hard work—begins in ourselves, our homes, and the places we work.
Implicit bias, microaggressions, off-hand comments, inappropriate jokes, favoritism, and more happen in small ways on a daily basis, sometimes without a second thought. It’s time to address our failings head-on and on-purpose, with the same amount of passion you already apply to your current work.
Even as a cause-focused organization, it’s possible that you may need some assistance in this area. We can all lose perspective when it comes to our own work, and even ourselves. You likely don’t consider yourself a racist, but have you considered becoming an anti-racist?
As an advocate for justice, inequality is your adversary. And it’s time to pick a fight.
Whether you are still trying to understand why “Black Lives Matter” or you are trying to figure out how your nonprofit or social impact company should respond at this critical time in history, here are some tools and resources to equip you on this journey.
I’ve also asked a few friends for their thoughts, because they are all incredibly smart, have a vital perspective, and are people you should know.
Understanding the Issues of Racial Inequality and Systemic Racism
If this is a topic that you feel largely ill-equipped to tackle, take the first steps to listen and learn before you speak. Let’s start by getting on the same page.
Understand what terms like systemic racism, white privilege, white fragility, and microaggression mean, so that you can speak from an informed and allied perspective.
Merriam-Webster is redefining what “racism” really means.
Here’s a great explanation on why being color-blind is actually a bad thing, despite any good intentions.
The Skimm created an easy-to-understand guide on why mass incarceration is such a big deal here in the US, an overview of systemic racism, and what it means to defund the police.
Get an overview of how slavery transformed America through this audio series from The New York Times.
Equity and equality aren’t the same thing, and this post gives 20 reasons why.
Heard “BIPOC,” but not sure what it means? Read this explanation to understand where the acronym for Black, Indigenous, People of Color came from.
Learn more about the term “anti-racist” from the guy who literally wrote the book on it.
Still saying “all lives matter”? Here’s a great explanation on why black lives matter or you can read more about BLM on their website.
This Anti-Racism Resource Guide includes definitions, getting started resources, and next steps for those just starting this journey.
Critical Race Theory has received a lot of attention but may not always be used correctly. Read up to make sure you understand what it is—and what it isn’t.
Begin within
As the leader (or a leader) of your nonprofit or social impact company, the work begins with you. No matter what policies or changes you implement, trainings you conduct, or resources you make available to your team, the majority of the work has to be done in the heart’s of your people, starting with you. Set the example you’d want to follow.
This short and simple “Guide to Allyship” is a great place to start as you begin to think what these topics will mean to you personally and professionally.
There are a number of common phrases that have racist roots you should be aware of, so that you can remove them from your vocabulary. And here are five more, a couple of which caught me completely off guard.
If you work internationally, take a look at this article, which makes the case for addressing racism here at home.
The National Museum of African American History & Culture has created some tools to use for yourself and others when talking about race, including the exploration of bias.
Ladies, check out The White Shift, which exists to “connect and activate a community of white presenting women to do the personal work it takes to uproot racism and build power for Black and Brown communities.”
This creative “Justice in June” plan allows you to take bite-sized actions toward becoming an ally for the African American community, and can be utilized any month you’re ready to get started.
Here is an extensive resource list by Tasha K, sorted by categories and topics for both personal and professional use.
Get in the fight, but protect your mental health. This is hard internal work, but it takes a toll, even for the biggest of allies. Injustice needs you at your best.
“Racism and racial injustice, at their core, are issues of dehumanization. Before engaging in racial justice, it's essential for those in the White community to expose the implicit bias and dehumanizing sentiment they may have in their hearts. Otherwise, we are just putting a Band-Aid on the problem.”
- Bradley Tomlinson, Director of Content Strategy at Orchard
Improving Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
You and your team spend so many hours of your lives working, and everyone deserves to feel seen, heard, welcomed, and safe at your nonprofit or social enterprise.
resources for the executive team
In this article on the Triple Pundit, Cecily Joseph outlines a simple “blueprint for action on racial equity.”
This is a great article on “How Companies Without Racists Perpetuate Racism,” which is written by Kafi Payne, who is a HR Director. Many companies will relate to her words.
CEOs should speak out, but they should begin by making progress in their own boardrooms first.
If you work in sustainability, read this advice from one of your own.
JUST Capital outlines a few practices that social impact companies can take to combat systemic racism and provide a safe and supportive work environment for Black employees.
The Stanford Social Innovation Review put together a list for change-makers who want to put an end to racism.
The Female Founders Fund put together an incredible anti-racist resource list for the tech and VC community.
Vivienne Dovi has laid out some excellent advice for what you can do after you declare that #BlackLivesMatter, including some low-cost and no-cost options for your small business.
Use your position as an opportunity to mentor someone early in their career through an organization like Year Up.
Racial Equity Tools has an extensive resource list for advocating for racial equity and social justice during COVID-19.
While created with the nonprofit community in mind, The Communications Network has amassed an impressive and crowd-sourced resource list on this topic, including creating your language and narrative, management and operations advice, action steps, and much more.
Consider providing bereavement leave to Black employees.
Creating budgets for professional development allows marginalized communities to take advantage of new experiences that might not otherwise be open to them.
Here’s a list of 50 ideas for incorporating diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Project Inkblot can educate you on how to design your products and services with diversity in mind.
While professionalism can be a great thing in a workplace, it’s good to evaluate your practices to ensure they are non-biased.
Here are 10 tips for becoming an ally to the Black women in your company.
The extensive resource list by Teach.com includes racial equity toolkits for government agencies.
Did you know racial inequality even affects your team’s sleep? Here’s an eye-opening guide on The Sleep Gap.
This article cites “42% of U.S. employees have witnessed or experienced racism in the workplace.” However, they also give you seven ways to fight racism at work so you can do your part.
“The workplace has a unique influence on each of our lives, and has huge potential to help us grow as teams and individuals - just as much as it has the potential to limit behaviors and possibilities. In this moment, we're seeing a societal awakening to realities that have been all too common for far too long, so its imperative for leaders to reconsider what's normal and reset their expectations for themselves and their teams, to truly realize the power of diversity and a thriving economy.”
- Lauren Dawson, Senior Program Manager, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at LinkedIn
Hiring and Human Resources
Listen to The Diversity Gap podcast where Bethany Wilkinson shares “stories of the people most impacted by diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.”
We Are Rosie created a document that shows you how to find diverse talent in the advertising industry.
Evaluate your hiring and firing policies for how employees may act away from the office.
Learn how to champion diversity, inclusion, and racial equity at your nonprofit or social impact company.
Have an open position? Post it on ColorComm, which reaches women of color in communications.
Here’s how Buffer focuses on D&I, even when they’re not growing their team.
Some job candidates are screened because of their names or racial indicators on their resume, which again stresses the need to check our own implicit bias before bringing that prejudice into the workplace.
Avoid this mistake when it comes to diversity and inclusion in your workplace, and also receive some terrific advice for your small business.
Here is a very candid essay on one Black woman’s hiring experience. I urge you to read it with openness, and examine if any of your own hiring practices reflect her account.
“Human Resources plays an important role in creating people and culture strategies that support business success and the employee experience. In this time of racial unrest, HR is being called upon to create safe spaces where brave and inclusive conversations can occur. At ESPN, the diversity and inclusion team and employee resource groups have hosted numerous conversations that give employees the opportunity to share the pain of racial and social injustice in the United States and their hope for a better future. Our employees have also shared ways in which our company can be better in creating a more inclusive culture. These conversations are vital, and I am so proud that we have a culture where employees speak up and leaders listen and support. I hope HR practitioners across organizations are creating these safe spaces for their employees, listening, and committing to the change we all want to see.”
- Dr. Tonya Harris Cornileus, Vice President, Development, Inclusion & Wellness, ESPN
Marketing and Communications
Examine your marketing and advertising to understand what you might be unconsciously communicating or what stereotypes you might be perpetuating.
Take a look at these social media accounts to follow so that you can ensure your social listening is coming from a variety of voices. (Here’s another list.)
Use culturally-diverse photos so that all of your fans, followers, and customers can see themselves in your brand. (More options here.)
The Associated Press has officially decided to capitalize Black and Indigenous with regards to racial and ethnic groups.
Working with influencers? “Our Shades of Influence” can help you diversify there, too.
Diversity Best Practices has compiled resources for cultural and heritage holidays.
Black Illustrations has “hundreds of diverse images for your online projects” in over 10 categories.
When supporting causes like this online, you’ll also want to make sure you and your accounts are safe online. Here are nine tips.
“It is critically important to me that my customers and their children see themselves in my brand. Not simply on a physical level, but more importantly, on a level of relatable cultural discoveries. My desire is for Aboki Box to be a direct channel to grow cultural IQ, so that children learn about a group of people and develop stronger sensitivity to cultural diversity. It’s important to me that my brand, in some way, empowers our leaders of tomorrow to educate, celebrate, and recognize our diversity. This will make us stronger, as individuals and as global citizens, so that we can make a difference in the communities in which we live.”
- Angela Halan, founder of Aboki Box
Leading a Team
Host a watch party or book club to get everyone involved and participating. Esquire put together a list of 10 movies to start with, while TED has you covered with inspiring talks, and The Good Trade has a list of 21 recommended books. Better yet, why not let your team vote on their preference to keep engagement high?
If you are White, pass the mic to a BIPOC, elevating their voice on the team and showcasing their authority on a topic they already understand better than you do. Just be sure that 1) this isn’t the only time they get the mic, and 2) they have the emotional bandwidth to lead at this time.
Allow employees time to reflect or protest. And provide them with this guide on how to stay safe while protesting.
Instead of just “checking in” on your Black team members, take this time as an opportunity to do three things.
“Leaders should first develop a process for collecting ideas and feedback that gives every team member a voice. Whether it be a survey or poll about new initiative, or an official structure for brainstorm meetings, build processes and systems that include everyone. Second, change your hiring process to expand the diversity of candidates. Require two or three online applicants for every candidate referred by an employee. Require each job opening be posted on jobs of HBCUs and other institutions or trade organizations with predominantly non-White constituents. This also should be done to attract candidates of various genders and ages (I.e generations).
Ultimately, you can’t benefit from other perspectives if you don’t have access to them and you don’t ask for them.”
- Kevin Jennings, CEO of KBJ2 Consulting
Trainings and Facilitated Discussions
Latasha Morrison provides cultural competency trainings, consultations, and coaching to nonprofits and companies so that they can become a more authentically-diverse organization.
The Islamic Speakers Bureau provides cultural competency training for law enforcement and healthcare workers.
KHL & Associates offers both diversity and inclusion training, as well as executive search services.
Here is a toolkit full of activities, resources, writings, and prompts to lead your team through understanding and dismantling any bias in the workplace.
Honeybook has a list of multiple anti-racism trainings for yourself or your team.
Diversity Resources has numerous trainings, videos, resources, and events available to you.
Prism has a wide variety of trainings, including those for talent management, discrimination, harassment, and unconscious bias.
Starbucks has opened up its “To Be Welcoming” series everyone, and the first one focuses on bias and empathy.
Networking and Events
Spectrum’s LinkedIn Group is “a community of multicultural changemakers creating an inclusive impact economy.”
NODA’s Multicultural Network provides you with opportunities to connect, share, learn, and grow alongside other professionals.
The Diversity Gap hosted “A New Kind of Leader” in the spring of 2020, and you can watch it online.
If you consider yourself part of the creative community, check out ADCOLOR for upcoming events.
Entelo put together a list of diversity and inclusion conferences.
Planning an online or future in-person event? Here are five ways to make it more diverse.
Have you considered creating event scholarships for those who might not otherwise be able to attend?
You can watch the Allyship & Action conference on YouTube for free.
The Anti-Defamation League wrote this list of Do’s and Don’ts for Diversity and Inclusion events for schools, but the rules are intuitive enough to use anywhere.
The National Diversity Council has bunch of upcoming events in 2020.
Be Social Change is hosting an Anti-Racist Business Virtual Summit on September 17th.
Work Culture
If you tend to think that racism doesn’t exist in social justice organizations, think again. “Doing Good and Being Racist” sheds light on one woman’s experience at the UN, but this experience could happen in many other places as well.
Here’s a guide on how to build a race equity culture at your nonprofit or social impact company.
Is your organization practicing what it preaches when it comes to fighting racism and bias? Here are some action steps for discernment.
This CNBC article sheds some light on what it looks like to be an anti-racist company, including one way to get employees involved. (And here’s an assessment tool.)
Several Black employees shared their experiences about working in corporate America.
As a POC or ally, here are a few ideas for addressing injustice at work.
“During the latest #BlackLivesMatter movement, we have seen a lot of organizations scramble to release statements and programs externally, without first listening to their employees, especially their employees of color, about how they feel about social injustice in 2020. Especially when your workforce is remote or distributed, a culture of inclusion becomes even more important so that all of your employees are engaged. Then, during times of adversity, engaged employees will make it so that your company is better prepared to respond to social issues with empathy and transparency.”
- Kaleem Clarkson, Co-founder of Blend Me and Remotely One
Give Your Time, Talent, and Treasure (and Get Your Team Involved!)
The Renewal Project curated a list of nonprofits building racial equity, fighting racial justice in the legal system, and elevating the next generation of Black leaders.
Black Lives Matter put together a simple list of action steps you and your organization can take in minutes.
Create a resource, event, or fund that supports Black-owned business owners, especially those in early stages.
Unsure where to give and make the most impact? This Money.com article has some great advice and action steps.
Donations are great, but partnering with a nonprofit and having your team volunteer will be more meaningful in the long-term.
“As Derek Sivers very clearly mentions in his TED talk, How to Start a Movement, ‘Leadership is over-glorified. It is really the first followers that transform a lone nut into a leader.’ At Vector, we understand that the only way to be truly authentic and fully committed to our culture and values is to listen, learn, and accept daily feedback from everyone in our company. Be accountable, brutally honest, and expect the same from everyone else—no matter how senior or junior anyone is.
Change moves at the speed of trust. So, unless everyone is engaged and intimately involved in all big initiatives and/or decisions, the depth of our relationship as a team will not be where it needs to be to trust each other and make such a unique, results-based work culture.
We are all in this together, and the main reason everyone is okay in doubling down on our culture is because we openly share every aspect of our company, from salaries to personal challenges, from cash flow statements to profitability, from investments to setbacks. More importantly, trusting each other has allowed us to be OK making mistakes and this is probably one of the key reasons we will continue to grow and succeed in such a demanding industry like logistics.”
- Enrique Alvarez, Managing Director at Vector Global Logistics
Examples in Action
Need some inspiration for how your company can positively and thoughtfully respond to this issue?
Read how The Center for Health Progress made racial equity a priority for their all White staff and board.
Sephora is donating 15% of its shelf space to Black-owned businesses.
United Auto Workers organized “peaceful and orderly stand downs” on Juneteenth. While we can all agree an organization’s efforts need to go beyond a moment of silence, statement, or social media post, this is one way all employees can participate and helps them see the company’s priorities in action.
Ben & Jerry’s has a long history of putting their money where their mouth is, and they are a great example of how any type of brand can get involved in issues they care about.
National Geographic first acknowledged their coverage was racist, and then they did something about it.
There is a big push to make Juneteenth a national holiday, but Target made the decision on its own.
The Communications Network has put together multiple examples of responses from nonprofits and foundations (that anyone can learn from), and they’ve discussed why they’re effective and provided links for deeper learning.
Learn from these companies who took a stand, but didn’t immediately follow it up with action.
Buffer posted their guidelines for event planning, speaking, and sponsorships to both convey their internal policies as well as serve as an example to others.
The President and CEO of Living Cities explained the racial injustice he found in his own nonprofit, and steps they are taking to rectify it.
Consider Your Business Relationships
Who do you do business with? How do your partners model diversity, inclusion, and racial justice? Do you engage vendors and partners that are BIPOC-owned?
Support Black-owned businesses
The Strategist put together a list of “125 Black-Owned Businesses to Support.”
Check out the Official Black Wall Street, the largest platform for Black businesses.
Black Wallet is a digital resource for Black entrepreneurs and their businesses.
We Buy Black is an online retail space with all kinds of products.
The Female Founder Collective created a list of woman-owned Black businesses.
Cause Artists highlighted 20 African Americans leading the way in social innovation and impact.
Here are hundreds of businesses run by Black women.
Here’s a directory of Latinx designers for all your creative needs.
Partner with other organizations who share your values. Here’s a huge list of companies who have made a public stand. This list includes mostly donations, so double-check their actions across the board.
”Our world has become a village with clients, future employees, and business partners across the globe. For organizations to be successful in providing solutions to their customers, they need to know what their diverse customers and clients' needs are, the market itself, and so much more. Similarly, to gain a competitive edge, these same organizations must compete for talent. However, getting talent in the door is not good enough. Organizations have to support a variety of cultures, which invites talent to be their best. Therefore, creating diverse partnerships provides organizations with many benefits, including tapping into their customer’s needs, getting the best talent, and making a name for themselves in the marketplace.”
- Soumaya Khalifa, Cross Cultural and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and President of Khalifa Consulting
Racial EquITY Resources Specifically for Nonprofits
Because we focus specifically on nonprofits a lot around here, I wanted to make sure there was a special category for these beloved organizations.
The Communications Network has been cranking out a lot of live trainings and webinars around equity, racial justice, racial violence, racism, and more. Get on their list to see what’s coming next.
Nonprofit employees of color are still often at a disadvantage when compared to their White co-workers, and this report can help you gain a better understanding of what is happening in your sector.
The Harvard Business Review published a great article on “The Problem with ‘Color-Blind’ Philanthropy” and how it can be corrected.
Listen in on this conversation between Michele Norris, founder of The Race Card Project™, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, and Jeff Raikes, Co-Founder of the Raikes Foundation and former Microsoft Business Division President, as they discuss why philanthropy has to talk about race, as well as the term “color-blind.”
Here’s a webinar on responding to racial injustice as a nonprofit.
Equity in the Center has a great resource for creating a “race equity culture” within nonprofits and philanthropic institutions, and includes how to bring in multiple stakeholders.
Get your board on board with supporting leaders of color. This article from the Nonprofit Quarterly lays out some terrific action steps.
Resources Specifically for Faith-Based Organizations
As a person of faith who works with a lot of Christian ministries, I wanted to include this special category for those seeking racial reconciliation through the lens of their spirituality.
The team at Be the Bridge has created all sorts of fantastic resources, including topics dealing with white privilege, implicit bias, and racial injustice. The founder, Latasha Morrison, also wrote, Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation, which is a bestseller.
Barna has put together 10 data-driven resources for talking to your church about race, as well as a “Where Do We Go From Here?” digital download (currently free).
Daughters of Abraham is an interfaith book club where Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women can learn from one another and safely discuss their similarities and differences.
The Anti-Defamation League has a long history of fighting injustice, and you’ll find a lot of resources on their website.
The Islamic Speakers Bureau conducts interactive presentations designed to provide information about Islam and Muslims, answer questions, and cultivate relationships.
The Lausanne Movement put together a few articles, videos, and even a devotional plan for working toward racial justice.
Did I miss something that should be included? Let me know!
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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.
