Laser.

A Code of Ethics for Antiracist White Allies

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:09:07 -0400

By JLove Calderon and Tim Wise, antiracist white allies and social justice educators.

We are persons classified as white, who oppose racism and the system of white supremacy. As such, we are committed to speaking out and challenging racial injustice, mistreatment and institutional inequity, as well as interpersonal racism whenever and wherever it exists. We are also committed to challenging our own biases, inculcated by a society that has trained us all, to one degree or another, to internalize notions of our own superiority.

As antiracist allies, we seek to work with people of color to create real multiracial democracy. We do not aspire to lead the struggle for racial justice and equity, but rather, to follow the lead of persons and communities of color, and to work in solidarity with them, as a way to obtain this goal. We do not engage in the antiracist struggle on behalf of people of color, so as to “save” them, or as an act of charity. We oppose and seek to eradicate white supremacy because it is an unjust system, and we believe in the moral obligation of all persons to resist injustice. Likewise, we believe not only that a system of white supremacy damages people of color, but also that it compromises our humanity, weakens the democratic bonds of a healthy society, and ultimately poses great risks to us all. Because we believe white supremacy to be a contributing force to war, resource exploitation, and economic injustice, our desire to eradicate the mindset and system of white domination is fundamentally a matter of collective preservation. Though persons of color are the direct targets of this system, we believe that whites are the collateral damage, and so for our own sake as well, we strive for a new way of living.

To do this with integrity, we believe it might prove helpful to operate with a code of ethics in mind, so as to remain as accountable as possible to persons of color, and each other, as we go about the business of challenging white supremacy. We know from experience how easy it can be to act with the best of intentions, and yet ultimately do harm to the antiracist struggle, by choosing tactics or methods that reinforce privilege and inequity rather than diminish them, or by acting within the confines of an echo chamber of other antiracist white allies, while failing to ground our efforts in structures of accountability led by people of color.

In recent years, the number of white folks engaged in one form or another of public antiracist work, or work around the subject of white privilege (as scholars, writers, activists, and educators), has proliferated. Likewise, schools, non-profit organizations, and even some corporations have begun to look at matters of racism and white privilege within their institutions. As this work, at many different levels, expands, it is perhaps more necessary than ever that whites who are working to be strong antiracist allies take a good look in the mirror, analyze and critique what we do as well as how we do it, and ask: How can we, as antiracist white allies, operate ethically and responsibly as we go about the business of helping to dismantle white supremacy?

To this end, we propose the following code of ethics for antiracist white allies. Though it is hardly an exclusive or exhaustive list, we believe it is a start to a more responsible and responsive antiracist practice for white persons who wish to act in solidarity with people of color in the battle against racism. The code should not be viewed as a fixed or final document, let alone as a checklist or “rulebook” for responsible antiracists. It is merely a guidepost. We hope that it will lead to productive reflection, discussion, and even healthy debate among those who are engaged in antiracist struggle.

Code of Ethics for Anti-Racist White Allies

1. Acknowledge our racial privilege.

Self-reflection matters. Although there are many ways in which whites can be marginalized in this society (on the basis of gender, sex, sexuality, class, religion, disability, etc), this truth does not eradicate our racial advantage, relative to people of color. We can be oppressed in these other categories and still benefit from privileges extended to whites, as whites. Acknowledging racial privilege doesn’t mean that we didn’t work hard, or that there weren’t barriers we had to overcome; it simply means that our racial identity helped us along the way. Indeed, racial privilege will even work in our favor as we speak out against racism. We will often be taken more seriously in this work, precisely because we are white, and we should be clear on that point.

2. Develop interpersonal connections and structures to help maintain antiracist accountability.

Accountability matters. When we engage in antiracist efforts, be they public or private, we should remember that it is persons of color most affected by racism, and thus, they have the most to gain or lose as a result of how such work is done. With this in mind, we believe it is important to seek and obtain regular and ongoing feedback from people of color in our lives (friends and/or colleagues), as a way to better ground our efforts in structures of accountability. Although this kind of accountability may play out differently, depending on our specific job/position, one general principle is that we should be in regular and ongoing contact with persons in the communities that are most impacted by racism and white supremacy—namely, people of color.

3. Be prepared to alter our methods and practices, when and if persons of color implore us to do so.

Responsive listening matters. It’s not enough to be in contact with people of color as we go about our work. We also need to be prepared to change what we’re doing, if and when people of color suggest there may be problems, practically or ethically, with our existing methods of challenging racism. Although accountability does not require that we agree with and respond affirmatively to every critique offered, if people of color are telling us over and again that something is wrong with our current practices, accountability requires that we take it seriously and correct the practice. And all such critiques should be seen as opportunities for personal reflection and growth.

4. If we speak out about white privilege, racism, and/or white supremacy, whether in a public forum or in private discussions with friends, family or colleagues, we should acknowledge that people of color have been talking about these subjects for a long time, and yet, have been routinely ignored in the process.

Giving credit matters. Because many white people have tuned out or written off people of color, when a white person speaks about social and racial injustice it’s like a huge “a ha” moment happens, and that white person oftentimes is put on a pedestal. We should make sure people know that whatever wisdom we possess on the matter is only partially our own: it is also the collective wisdom of people of color, shared with us directly or indirectly. Likewise, beyond merely noting the general contribution of people of color to our own wisdom around matters of race, we should make the effort to specify those persons/groups of color from whom we’ve learned. Encourage others to dig deeper into the subject matter by seeking out and reading/listening to the words/work of those persons of color, so as to further their own knowledge base.

5. Share access and resources with persons of color whenever possible.

Networking matters. As whites, we often enjoy access to various professional connections, resources, or networks, from which persons of color are typically excluded. The ability to act as a “gatekeeper” comes with the territory of privilege. The only question is, will we help open the gates wider, or keep them closed? As allies, we should strive to share those connections and resources with persons of color whenever possible. So, for instance, we may have inroads for institutional funding or grant monies that could be obtained for people of color-led community organizations. We may have connections in media, educational institutions, or even the corporate world, which if shared with persons of color could provide opportunities for those persons of color to gain a platform for their own racial justice efforts.

6. If you get paid to speak out about white privilege, racism, and/or white supremacy, or in some capacity make your living from challenging racism, donate a portion of your income to organizations led principally by people of color.

Giving back matters. Although it is important to speak out about racism, and to do other types of antiracism work (organizing, legal work, teaching, etc.), and necessary for people to be paid for the hard work they do, whites who do so still have to admit that we are able to reap at least some of the financial rewards we receive because of racism and white privilege. Because so much of our own understanding of race and racism comes from the collective wisdom of people of color, from whom we have learned (especially at the grass-roots level), it is only proper that we should give back to those who have made our own “success” possible. Although there is no way to ascertain the real value of the shared and collective wisdom of people of color on the understanding that white allies have about racism, it seems fair to suggest that at least 10 percent of our honorariums, royalties, salaries, or other forms of income, should be shared with people-of color-led organizations with a commitment to racial and social justice. It would be especially helpful if at least some of that money goes to the kinds of locally based organizations that have a hard time getting funding from traditional sources.

The premise of this code is simple: White people have a moral and practical obligation to challenge racism in a responsible and responsive manner. To this end, we believe that the principles of self-reflection, accountability, responsive listening, and resource sharing are important starting points for whites who are engaged in any kind of efforts to eradicate racism and white supremacy. We hope that this code, devised merely as a set of suggestions and guideposts for white allies, will prompt constructive dialogue and discussion regarding how white allyship can best be developed and deployed for the purpose of building true multiracial democracy.

Please join the conversation and offer up your thoughts as to how antiracist white allies can become stronger in the fight to eradicate white supremacy.

A note about how this code was created:
The initial code was created and then sent out to a multi-racial group of activists, organizers, educators, artists, and everyday people who care deeply about social and racial justice. Input was given and the authors took key insights and common themes and incorporated them into the editing process. We thank everyone who took the time out to bring their wisdom and expertise to the table for this accountability work.

DARE.

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:42:00 -0400

As I write this, spring training is in full swing - just as it was 23 years ago, when I sat in my dorm room desk writing the 1990 Major League Baseball Preview. I’d produced one every year since middle school for a few friends, some of whom actually liked baseball.

“Are you studying for the calc test?” asked my pal Andy, worksheets aswirl around him.

“It’s multiple choice,” I said. “I’ll get a quarter of them right even if I pick randomly.”

“You know,” Andy said, “you ought to become a writer. All you ever do is write.”

The air around me suddenly felt easier to breathe, as it infused with opportunity. Now I recognize why: This was a defining moment for me. Even though I spent much of my spare time writing—just to entertain family and friends—I’d never considered a career in journalism. But over the next few weeks, after scoring a statistically improbable 23 percent on the calculus exam, I changed my major and joined the college newspaper.

Our lives are full of defining moments. Some we invite; others we don’t. Then there are those we ignore - moments that might have become defining ones if only we’d dared to turn left or right instead of plowing straight ahead. I’ve been there; I bet you have too. Regretsville is a horrible place to visit, much less dwell in.

Those turns have the power to fundamentally change the courses of our lives…

My buddy Andy is a nuclear physicist now, be he would’ve become a poet if it paid better. He once bounced this line off me: “The wise step forward, not knowing the future, when they see an open door.”

I’ve tried to make this my mantra for life. But doors can be scary when you can’t see what’s on the other side. My advice to you: Stop. Look around. Spot the opening doors. Your options: Stay put or step forward. You know the right choice. The question is, do you dare?

-Bill Phillips

“I’m not the only kid who grew up this way....

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:38:00 -0500

“I’m not the only kid who grew up this way. Surrounded by people who used to say that rhyme, about sticks and stones.”

Out of all of this, what is most salient to me is the way we have been socialized to approach issues like bullying, obesity, and depression. We blame; and not the people, constructs, and resources that feed in to creating the problem, but we blame the person most effected. I have been taught that to truly change the problems I face, I have to shift my thinking and take charge of my own experience. While there is value in “self” confidence, determination, and control, I wonder how much we truly can control, ourselves. How can an individual be expected to, as even I once told a close friend, stop trying to evaluate the intent of others? How can we expect those in depression to pull themselves out when what buried them is far out of their control?

Instead of blaming the target, maybe instead we can challenge the agents. Maybe instead, we can conspire against what really causes the problems we face - our ideas, norms, and constructs.

“We grew up to cheer on the underdog because we see ourselves in them.”

"I believe we were each made with an intense longing to have other people speaking into our lives."

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:37:00 -0500

How a Mentor Will Change Your Life

We all want to achieve some level of greatness or significance with our lives. What we often underestimate is that this only comes through our engagement with others, not in isolation. We all need people behind us that continue to push us forward.

Only when you understand who you are, will you start living into how you were made to engage in your current context. I believe we were each made with an intense longing to have other people speaking into our lives. A mentor will help you discover who we are in a way you would not know in leading an isolated life.

There is no life-change without life-exchange.

For over a four year period I waited for an older and wiser man to mentor me. I assumed that if I waited long enough this person would give me a call and make my life better. The call never came despite desire and my frustration continued to grow.

Eventually I worked up enough courage to flip the script and asked someone who I thought would challenge me to be a better person. And sure enough, the time I spent with him changed my life.

Looking back I see the specific ways interactions with a mentor facilitated change within me.

Clarity Within Community

A lot of people have clarity of vision for their life, but they lack the relational engagement needed to see the full extent of the vision.

A mentor provides added perspective. You have blind spots—areas in life that you struggle to navigate well.

Personal clarity without the input of others often leads down treacherous paths.

A Nudge

Your life needs fresh eyes to lend perspective on where you are going astray. A mentor is not a babysitter or a parent, but they can shed light on areas of concern. A mentor—having navigated life further down the road—can give you the nudge needed to keep you walking the right direction.

The culture at large teaches that you should surround yourself with people who give positive vibes, but what you likely need is someone who is willing to give you the honest truth when you would rather ignore it.

Hikes Not Maps

I’m stubborn enough that I typically look for someone who will provide me with enough information for me to continue on my way. These information givers are like shopkeepers who provide maps.

The problem is what I need is a trail guide who can walk the paths rather than just providing a map.

You need a trail guide, not a shopkeeper. On a lonely trail, you need a hiking partner, not a map.

Plenty of people can give you the information you need to take the next step but a mentor will walk alongside you throughout the journey.

A Character Driven Life

In my weaker moments I’m often drawn to make decisions when my emotions are at their peak. Instead of taking the time to process through it all, the knee-jerk reaction seems to come naturally.

A mentor helps you sift through the emotions to make character based decisions. What are the principles and values that under gird your life? Those should drive your decisions.

At one point 6 months ago I was about to make an emotionally-driven, irrational decision because I sensed a need to make a drastic change in my life. My mentor helped me see how that decision directly contradicted a few things I believed to be true about myself.

A character-based life allows for short-term wins to translate into long-term sustainability.

Wings to Launch

The Millennial Generation has been described as “failing to launch.” The reasons for this are many and highly debated, but it doesn’t remove the truth that many people feel relegated to their current state—flightless with no wings to see beyond it.

This is right where a mentor can step in and help you navigate how you have been gifted and how those gifts can launch you toward the life you’ve been created to live.

Take the step. Make the ask. Get a mentor. It will change your life.

In what ways has a mentor changed your life?

- Ron Edmondson

"Adversity is a comma in our story, not a period. It’s not the end…often, it is the point..."

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:23:49 -0500

“Adversity is a comma in our story, not a period. It’s not the end…often, it is the point at which the story really gets good.”

- Jon Acuff

"If you want to get more pleasure out of life, learn more about it. Don’t just guzzle wine,..."

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 20:38:45 -0500

“If you want to get more pleasure out of life, learn more about it. Don’t just guzzle wine, learn about where it’s from, why it tastes like it does, how old it is.”

- Paul Bloom

Academic view: A new philosophy of leadership

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 14:18:57 -0500

Business schools need to produce leaders for the many, not the few, says Ken Starkey, a professor at Nottingham University Business School

WHAT are the three hardest words for a business leader to speak? Probably “I don’t know”. Business leaders are encouraged to exhibit confidence, competence and omniscience. But this leads to only two possible outcomes. They can fake it: pretend that they are right because they know that the admission of uncertainty and weakness is a career killer. Or they can believe their own hype, convinced that they are right and know better than everybody else.

This is where we now stand. A model has evolved whereby the leaders of business and finance, abetted by an elite group of economists, have convinced themselves that only they know the way the world should work.

However, we are at a tipping point. Nitin Nohria, the new dean of Harvard Business School, argues that we need leaders who demonstrate moral humility. I believe that we need an approach to leadership in which the starting point is our lack of knowledge, a frank admission that we do not know very much about how to build a sustainable system for business and society.

In this humility-driven vision of leadership, business schools need to shift their centre of gravity away from economics, finance and dreams of individual fortune. We need to teach future leaders to reflect and critique—that there are alternatives to theories that they accept, without question, because they speak to their self-interest.

To do this, business schools need to challenge their own orthodoxy—a crude Darwinian view of business and society rooted in the survival of the fittest. They need to focus on the social consequences of their actions and accept responsibility for the business excesses of recent years. What is required is a narrative of common interest to combat the mantra of selfishness; one that appeals to the sense that leadership is for all not for the few.

….

-Ken Starkey: Professor of management and organisational learning at Nottingham University Business School

The Economist

Preferred Futuring

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 20:06:00 -0500

When thinking about my organization, either in a group or by myself, the first thing we tend to jump to is “what’s wrong with this or that?”. Interestingly enough, this seems to create an exhausting environment as we/I think to everything that is wrong and try to develop a solution for it. What we generally see is people tired of trying to solve the problem and simply adapting systems that are already in place. Of course, sometimes the solution exists in exactly that, adapting what exists - though many times we need to jailbreak our thinking. Instead of focusing on the problems that exist and working to solutions, maybe what’s needed instead is looking to the future - a preferred future, as Lawrence Lippitt coined it. Thinking about what could be or what we want to see our organization become can spark innovation and energy much more than what rooting our thoughts in problems can.

The Power of the Collective

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:14:00 -0500

“Why has Strive [a non-profit subsidiary working toward positive reform of the U.S. education system] made progress when so many other efforts have failed? It is because a core group of community leaders decided to abandon their individual agendas in favor of a collective approach to improving student achievement.” -John Kania & Mark Kramer

What’s on your agenda?

Video

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:50:38 -0500

Why it's not always best to give the answer

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 15:29:00 -0500

“Instead of telling him what to think, I taught him how to think.” - Clayton Christensen In reading an article from the Harvard Business Review, I came across this statement. I remembered time and time again wanting to look at an advisor/mentor/professor and say, “Just tell me what to do”. Reflecting back, I would be in a completely different place than I am now if they had. We exist in a world where answers are readily found via the web and services are purchased to figure out our problems for us. While some things are of course used to facilitate efficiency and guidance, I also believe some things need to be left for us to figure out. I commend now, the individuals in my life that pushed me to my own conclusions and plans. For in the end, it’s the product of our own thinking that can produce the most fulfillment in life - but only if we allow others to challenge and encourage us to think intentionally, while coming to our own conclusions in the end.

Don’t be afraid to take responsibility for your journey....

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 18:07:51 -0500

Don’t be afraid to take responsibility for your journey. An education is something that you have more control of than you might at first think. It’s hard to discover a path, but who said you need one?

Requirements to Be a Leader? Good Read

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:53:47 -0500

You have to be adaptable – Things change fast these days. Real fast. You must lead a team that responds accordingly.

You have to be moldable – You must personally change fast too…or you’ll be left behind. (This doesn’t mean you have to change your values, beliefs or convictions. In fact, that will work against you these days. People would rather be on your team and disagree with you some…difference of opinion is more acceptable today…than for people to think you are whimsical in what you claim to believe. This is actually one culture change that can be a benefit for the Christian leader.)

You have to embrace a team approach – There are no Lone Rangers today. (By the way…he wasn’t alone either. If I had a helper like Tonto and a horse like Silver…I’d have myself a winning team.)

You have to consider social responsibility – People want their individual work to make a difference. They also want the place where they spend their time, whether paid or volunteer, to make a difference.

You have to think bigger than today – Tomorrow is coming quicker than ever before and people are looking for leaders who can provide competent direction and consistent encouragement.

You have to be willing to serve others- People will no longer follow an autocratic leader. They are less loyal than ever. If you want to remain their leader, you must prove you care for them personally. Trust is more important than having all the answers.

You have to allow others to receive credit and assume authority – It’s what attracts leaders to your team these days. They want to feel they are playing a part in the team’s success.

It’s what’s required in leadership today. I realize this brings some unique challenges for spiritual leaders. We have a message and faith that is unwavering…and needs to stay that way. I certainly don’t intend to change my message. As Christian leaders, though, we must understand the context of culture in which we find ourselves. The way we lead, motivate and recruit people has changed. If we don’t recognize that, we will be less successful in accomplishing our God-given assignments.

Thankfully, and I know I need this…where we are weak…He is strong.

-Ron Edmondson

"I truly believe if we can see each other as fellow human beings, then it becomes very difficult to..."

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:51:54 -0400

“I truly believe if we can see each other as fellow human beings, then it becomes very difficult to tolerate atrocities like slavery.”

- http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_kristine_glimpses_of_modern_day_slavery.html

"One of the worst motives for a leader, in any sphere of life, is “wanting to satisfy the..."

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 15:54:00 -0400

“

One of the worst motives for a leader, in any sphere of life, is “wanting to satisfy the crowd.” It seldom leads to the best decisions or direction for any enterprise. It led to the worst decision ever made by a leader…the decision to crucify Jesus.

e.g. Mark 15:15 - Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Yet, “wanting to satisfy the crowd” is how most leaders lead. No wonder our families, businesses, churches, nation, etc., are in such bad shape.

”

- Brad Powell

"Within the freedom to choose are those endowments that make us uniquely human. In addition to..."

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 11:41:03 -0400

“Within the freedom to choose are those endowments that make us uniquely human. In addition to self-awareness, we have imagination - the ability to create in our minds beyond our present reality. We have conscience - a deep inner awareness of right and wrong, of the principles that govern our behavior, and a sense of the degree to which our thoughts and actions are in harmony with them. And we have independent will - the ability to act based on our self-awareness, free of all other influences. ..We possess the ability to choose how we respond to situations.”

- Stephen Covey

“The universe. It is fast, and dark. And makes us wonder...

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:46:39 -0400

“The universe. It is fast, and dark. And makes us wonder if we are alone. So, maybe the reason that we make all of these things, is to remind ourselves that we are not.”

"The fact is, the odds were against me. But why let facts stop you when improbable success is..."

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:25:38 -0400

“The fact is, the odds were against me. But why let facts stop you when improbable success is possible too?”

- David Zinczenko

Tr[us]t

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:52:00 -0400

“If you want to lead people you have to trust the people you lead and let them own decisions with you.” - Ron Edmondson

It’s interesting how when leading something, whatever that may look like, we feel the pressure to make decisions ourselves when they need to be made. That may be out of fear, worry, or even a sense of feeling overwhelmed. We fear that others will fail to get the job done, or we worry that it will not get done the “right” way. While every leader will have to make and own their own decisions, putting trust in the team to help with them is something I’ve struggled with myself.

Ron’s quote rings true on a multitude of levels. I have found more and more that when I simply do not have an answer (or even a well-polished one) the best step to take is to say “I don’t know, what do you think?”. Scary stuff, I know. When I say that, I feel as though I just shouted out “I have no clue what I’m doing and you should have no faith in me anymore”. Leaders tend to feel they need to project this self that produces with minimal effort and always has the answer. The best leaders, in thinking to ones who have inspired me, are those that ask for help whether they need it or not. You are inviting others in - inviting them to offer their investment and insight.

It’s hard to trust and even harder to continually challenge those you trust to help them grow - but, leadership is messy, and it’s when we play in the mud that we invite others to get their hands dirty with us.

When I think back to moments of decision and change in my organization, the best forms of both didn’t come from one person.

"It will always be your responsibility to take the action, ponder the repercussions, and slide the..."

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 22:19:21 -0400

“It will always be your responsibility to take the action, ponder the repercussions, and slide the learning into place.”