In last month’s blog, I told the story of Belly Mujinga, a Black woman in the UK who died from COVID-19 after her employers failed her. In the context of #BlackLivesMatter and global calls to address anti-Black racism and structural injustice, her story is a clear example of how power and privilege play out in the workplace. We often talk about microaggressions, likening them to “death by a thousand cuts”. In this case, the on-the-job microinvalidations Belly faced were one cut too deep.
In recent weeks, the conversation has shifted to allyship. The business world has been vocal in its solidarity, and many organizations have been willing to financially contribute to the fight for justice. Although these are welcome steps, they are not sufficient. Allyship is a process. It is a commitment to ongoing learning and unlearning to understand how systems of oppression work, recognize these systems in action, confront your complicity in upholding them, and actively confront them in solidarity with marginalized groups and individuals. Allyship is a title that you earn when you do the hard work of change.
I got the chance to talk about allyship and accountability on last week’s episode of The Leadership Leap Radio show. The "Inclusion Zone" is the first segment of the show, so check it out here.