Today while I was at the hair salon, I caught some of the Derek Chauvin trial. For those of you who don't know he is one of the officers involved in killing George Floyd. I listened as the defense attorneys tried to get a black male witness who is also a MMA professional to admit to being angry and the therefore the source of the officer's actions. 

 

He did not succumb.

 

I know that feeling all too well to have to hold it together, be professional, be my higher self for the cause or for sanity's sake or for the sake of being a role model for my children. I recently had a disagreement with a white male friend of mine about "all problems being imagined". Watching that piece of the trial today, I did not imagine that the defense attorney was trying to provoke the witness. The witness didn't make it mean anything and therefore not a problem for him. Which is not the same as the problem not existing or being imagined. He refused to take it on board.

 

Being your higher self while a minority can be a challenge just ask the Falcon. Yes as in the Marvel character.

 

I don’t intend to make light of this only taking something neutral and relatable to show you something to which you may be oblivious.

In episode two of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, these two superheroes loudly express disappointment in policies affecting their job in a Black neighborhood in Baltimore. The police show up and approach Falcon and ask the swinger Soldier if he is “being threatened by this man”. They are heavily involved in higher mind world problems are like “everything is fine '' while they welcome the Winter Soldier’s answer who white, they move in closer to ask Falcon, who is black, for ID. Finally one of the police officers, who are all white, realized who he is…”He’s the Falcon” one loudly whispers

They apologize and run both of their profiles all the same to find out the Winter Soldier has a warrant for his arrest for missing a court ordered therapy session.

 

You may be wondering why I am sharing this fictional example. Sadly this is the reality for many black employees at organizations without the script redirect whether the non-minority employee is reprimanded. So hate speech can be deeply embedded in the culture and behavior of the organization.

 

The other way hate speech shows up in the workplace is when something happens like the “Stop Asian Hate” currently and not addressing the mental and emotional health of your Asian staff. Having private conversations to listen and be sensitive to what may be happening for them personally.

 

Join us Wednesday, March 31st for the rest of the conversation as we explore Hate Speech in the Global Workplace on the Unlearning Labels at 2 pm EDT and 8 pm CEDT

 

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