Dear White CEOs
Text doesn’t capture tone and passion. Listen to the audio version of this letter here.
Dear White CEOs,
It’s okay not to make a forward-facing statement about what is going on in the world. You can keep it internal. The workplace culture you’ve fostered will speak louder than any words or posts you can craft.
It’s okay not to know what to do next — a lot has happened over these last few months.
It’s okay to question what role you’ve played and wondered if it is enough.
And right now is an excellent time to insert a deep healing breath.
Like most CEO’s and companies, moving quickly and executing is what keeps your business alive — it’s what you are known for and what your customer and clients love.
This is a little different.
Moving too quickly means you might miss critical moments of reflection and inward conversation that will intuitively nudge you on the right words to say.
Execution without education could cause you to expose areas you have yet to understand within your organization and putting you in a position that is less than desired.
There is a lot of advice on what you should do and shouldn’t do right now. If the workplace and company had focused on inclusion rather than following the trend of diversity and creating a culture where everyone was “a culture fit,” this wouldn’t be such a challenge and underground shit-show.
No one is expecting you to have all the right answers, but your people are looking for you to do the right thing. Now is a perfect time to ask for grace while you sort out what you need to do next.
Now is not a time to feel shame, guilt, or apathy — do not retreat and convince yourself that you don’t know where to start, so you end up doing nothing.
Don’t throw money at “the problem.” It won’t help. It’s the visible safest form of passive action.
This is not a black and white issue. This is a humanity issue.
Your humanity has been challenged by ego, self-preservation, and apathy. If you want to fight something, start there. It is within the heart the mouth speaks, and the actions are clear.
Biases you’ve ignored and avoided, convincing yourself that you aren’t “hurting” anyone — has now come to collect.
If you want clear action items, here they are:
(1) Make a statement within. Self-reflect. How does this make you feel, what are your honest thoughts about what you’ve seen, heard. How do you feel about the black community right now?
(2) Decide. You can’t play both sides of the fence. If you feel what happened and what is happening is wrong, then make that decision and let your actions align with that. If you feel what happen was not wrong, decide and let your actions reflect that. Either way, do something that very few people within your organization will do. Challenge your accountability.
(3) Seek out an expert. Find someone who knows more about the topic and history of what is currently going on. This person is most likely a thought leader, outspoken, and offers perspective. This person doesn’t need to be black; however, if you lack black or POC leadership and representation within your company, it could be extremely beneficial.
(4) DO NOT ask your black employees to answer questions that you can get the answers to (unless you have already built that type of relationship). They are not the “Ask Jeeves” on black issues in America. They are trying to holding space for their own emotions and navigate what they are dealing with.
(5) Education is key. It’s important to know what you are “fighting” for. While racism and inequality seem like the apparent topics, both are categories within a larger issue. Understand the history of what others have faced to make an empowered plan of action.
(6) Put your money where your mouth is. Any PR team can create a statement and make a tax-deductible donation. If you are genuinely trying to give back and do make a stand, create a budget, and invest in bringing in a specialist that can help you work on the unhealthy bias and inclusion within your company. Since we spend 1/3 of our lives at work, this is a great place to start infusing the change you want to see in the world.
(7) Join conversations. Over the next few weeks, there will be an increase in conversations you can join and participate in and get a more in-depth perspective on what your people and others might be going through. Make space to join the conversation.
(8) Practice deep self-care. You can’t give what you don’t have. Your self-care is extremely intramural in how you reflect and respond. Turn off the news, shut down social media, and get quiet and still. Write, hydrate, run, dance, cook, walk barefoot, meditate, hike in nature. Refill and renew you so that you can be renewed and give to others.
These are all things that you can do now and do them well.
Now is your chance to show strong leadership in a time where we need it the most. Do not coward behind your “privilege,” title, or comfort zone.
Again, this is not a black or white issue. This is a humanity issue, and it is within our humanity that this will be solved.
Thank you for reading.
With Light, Love, and Gratitude,
Charisse Alayna Fontes
Text doesn’t capture tone and passion. Listen to the audio version of this letter here.
If this letter resonated with you, let’s have a conversation. I’m happy to help and share more about my perspective and the work that I do to transform people and culture in the workplace. I believe firmly in creating workplaces that are inclusive and humanity based.
Feel free to reach out directly at charissefontes@gmail.com.
