Really. I feel like I need an answer to this question. And if anyone knows who might have some answers, please tell me.
I’ll also admit my ignorance: The premise for this post is an honest question. Therefore, if “Black identifying” is an older term with a respected history, I apologize. Yet I’ve heard it only in a contemporary context, and I can’t help but consider how it might be manipulated.
Where I first heard the words
A few weeks ago marked the second time I’d heard a Black person use the words “Black identifying” in reference to other Black people–during a radio interview. The first time was on TV, surrounding the dustup over the National Arts Centre’s Black Out Night. After both instances, I felt uncomfortable.
There’s a part of me that wants to believe that “Black identifying” is a phrase that emerged out of a desire to welcome people of various complexions who have African ancestry. Yet regardless of its origins, I fear that its use will open the door to people who engage in blackfishing and other forms of race-based mockery.
Overall I wonder why we need to use this term. And who decided that there was something wrong with just saying “Black”?
And just how did “Black identifying” come into the public lexicon? Was it because of an over-extension of certain Black folks’ desire to be inclusive or accepted by others?
“Black identifying” – Beginnings?
To ask it in another way, who coined this word? Who decided to view the signifier “Black’ as something vague or offensive–so much so that it needs to be changed? And if they think that Black needs to be modified, then why, and for whom?
At this point I honestly don’t even feel like looking up a definition. If I try, I think I’ll probably end up finding something that’ll make me go, “So, you actually mean to say Black, but…?”
My concern is that a push to use “Black identifying” feeds into the idea that using “Black” as a racial identifier–regardless of how accurate it is-is somehow offensive. There are people out there who insist on twisting notions of Blackness, and view them as signifiers that are designed to restrict or otherwise intimidate others. It feels as though “identifying” has been brought in to soften Black’s potentially drastic impact. (Yet “drastic” for whom?)
Meanwhile, although some may find frank talk about Black folks troubling, I’m afraid I’m sorry not sorry. If a circumstance concerns Black people, I’m going to tell it like it is. Why lie and say that I’m referring to Latinos or Indigenous people?
The cultural tensions that we are experiencing within society aren’t happening because people are merely being honest about their lives and experiences. They come from certain folks’ determination to cast such truth-telling in a negative light. Just because a conversation is uncomfortable, that does not automatically mean that it is bad. And yet, time and again I’ve seen expressions of Blackness interpreted as a threat or an attack. It’s tiring and deeply unnecessary.
The Heart of the Matter
Quite frankly, the first thing, or rather person that came to mind when I heard “Black identifying” is Rachel Dolezal. For those of you who don’t know or remember, years ago Ms Dolezal was in the news. Throughout a portion of her adulthood, she claimed to be Black, and even did her best to disguise herself accordingly using extensions and makeup. Her scheme was successful for a while. And yet it was ruined after her parents verified that she was actually Caucasian.
I mentioned “blackfishing” beforehand, and I feel the need to expand on my concerns.
It’s hard for me to keep from wondering: Do some of the people who use the words “Black identifying” think that being is Black a form of amusement, something that everyone gets to play at? In some way, to me, it sounds like whoever invented that phrase is trying to extend a hand to certain people who aren’t actually Black. I can almost hear them trying to reassure someone, saying, “It’s okay. You can be Black, too.”
It’s as though they’re encouraging people to be delusional about something that people like me don’t have a choice about–and that something is a vulnerable status, given the existence of racism within our society. Those who wish to engage in being trans-racial–another term that’s fraught with its own issues–are taking advantage of a choice that actual Black people do not have.
As alluded to earlier, another small part of me wonders if the use of “Black identifying” has anything to do with the at-times complicated relationship that can exist between a person’s Black ancestry and their physical appearance. Are people trying to make those who hesitate to lean into their Black heritage feel comfortable?
That doesn’t sit well with me. Even if at first glance, someone doesn’t look as though they are Black, they know their ancestry. Meaning that most people know if they’re Black or not. And unless someone is engaging in some Dolezal-level deception, most Black people don’t have a problem with people of various hues who choose to claim their roots.
Hence, I’m willing to question the use and actual usefulness of “Black identifying”. In spite of any potentially innocent origins, I am concerned. Black people tend to know who they (we) are. So who is it really for?
Last week I accidentally discovered that once upon a time, a brand shared an ageist meme on one of their social channels. Now, The Brand isn’t a household name, so I won’t mention them. Quite frankly, I have no interest in exposing anyone today. Doing such a thing would be pointless, and I have a greater point.
Actually, the meme I’m referring to was a social post about Biden. It featured a snide comment about his supposed mental decline.
Why was I bothered? Although I’m not a senior, I’m older than some people think. And like most of us, I’m also related to people who actually are senior citizens.
Looking over the border at American politics, Biden’s neither my most loved or despised president. Yet reading the post’s comments about him losing his faculties, I wondered if The Brand had considered the type of messaging that they were sending their customers–especially their older ones. More broadly, I caught myself speculating about how The Brand’s founders–and people in general–perceive aging.
ProTip: When you share a piece of media, even if you didn’t author it, sans disclaimer, the understanding usually is that you approve of what it has to say.
Other than that image, The Brand seemed to have a progressive stance. And so do I. That’s why it surprised me that they shared something that would leave me so annoyed.
And then, another thought took hold: Considering popular media narratives about what’s supposedly in store for us, it’s hard for me not to think of the young (and not-so-young) who are in for a very rude awakening as they start to age in real time.
Personally, I need to make a few adjustments to ensure that I continue to age well. And degenerative diseases are a very real thing.
But as I said, some of you are in for a surprise. I wonder what will happen when you wake up at 40, 50, 60, and beyond, and the most noticeable thing that’s changed about you is that your hair is greyer and you’ve gained a few pounds and/or wrinkles.
Getting older doesn’t automatically guarantee complete physical or mental disintegration.
The media’s 30-Under-30 lists won’t prepare you for this. And honestly, it can be a little stupefying to wake up past A Certain Age and not feel nearly as awful as folks say you should. And even when you’re not That Old, sometimes you might find yourself wondering “Wait. People aren’t talking that much about…This.” Whatever this is.
Quite honestly, I feel like our push for diversity and equity in representation ought to include age. Some outlets could do a better job of representing realities of getting older, instead of perpetuating myths that feed into audiences’ insecurities.
The truth is, aging is a huge gamble.
The main thing that bothers me these days is how unpredictable aging can be. Sure, as the years go by, your parents could need an assisted living facility. They could also be on the verge of being An Age that I’m Contractually Obligated Not to Mention, still taking care of their own lawn and snow, and threatening to climb trees in the summer.
But you didn’t hear that from me.
Seriously, though. It’s hard not to look at the variations in older folks’ realities–even within your own family–and wonder what’s in store.
In the meantime, here’s to telling the truth. Especially about things like getting older. It’s not always as awful as some like to claim.
Yesterday I wrote and meant to share this draft. Today, not only did I learn that it wasn’t published, but the details surrounding my subject may have changed.
One story claims that Is God Is‘ Black Out Night has been cancelled. Yet details are still on the National Arts Centre’s website. As a popular Oprah gif says, “So what is the truth?”
Long story short, Is God Is is a play featuring a Black cast. It is written by a Black woman, Aleshea Harris, and its central characters are Black women. Here in Canada, it will be showing in February at the National Art Centre. And one of its performances has been reserved for Black (or Black-identifying) audiences.
Where does the buzz come in? Well, there are a few articles out there that present these pending showings–referred to as Black Out Night(s)–as a problem.
Most of the titles of said articles make me cringe. Their writers and editors seem incredibly determined to paint a Black-focused event in a negative light.
Which made me wonder: What’s really going on here?
What’s the REAL problem?
What are people actually objecting to? And just what is it that they are they afraid of?
People have complained about Is God Is‘ Black Out performance using loaded terms like “segregation”. I’ve even seen a headline that says as much. Yet let’s take a look at that word for a moment. In fact, let’s go back in time and think about how segregation was actually practiced.
I know my country has a bigoted past of its own. Yet when I hear “segregation”, the first thing I think of is the Jim Crow laws of the United States, and the discriminatory practices that inspired the Civil Rights Movement. Fast forward to today: In their daily lives, are the people who aren’t invited to Is God Is‘ Black Out performance being treated in an inferior way? Are they barred from seeing the play altogether? And are they being harassed for simply not being Black?
The hostility that this Black Out performance has been met with suggests that negative assumptions have been made simply because Black people have been invited to attend a gathering. And what are the complainants’ actual fears?
Why is it that whenever BIPOC or other marginalized people plan a get-together that focuses on us, certain people are ready to declare war? Such antagonism suggests an underlying concern: Perhaps they believe that a Black-only (or Black-focused) meeting means that we are on the verge of plotting something that they might not like…? Dear Culturally-Paranoid Personnel: Our lives are not so focused on you that we plan events that do not include you in an effort to make you miserable. Honestly. Black people have the right to seek to restore our souls in peace.
Over the past few years, I have seen ignorant people look at initiatives such as Black Out performances and automatically assume that the creators’ intentions are nefarious. If that is you, then you need to take a breath. When Black people and members of other vulnerable groups gather to experience art, it is because we are interested in enjoying ourselves in a healing environment. Art truly is a medium that has sacred, restorative power.
Turning the Tables
Thinking about this kerfuffle surrounding Is God Is, I couldn’t help but wonder: If we were talking about a women-only showing of The Vagina Monologues, would the complainers be as loud?
Dear Reader, I’ve likely explained my tactics before. Yet in these situations, I tend to use analogies involving sex or gender. For, you see, somehow, SOMEtimes when you change the differing factor to something that Certain Folks find more palatable, all of a sudden, what’s being complained about becomes relatable. Yet because race is involved, for some reason, these same people insist on being enraged. Especially when the race of the people involved happens to be Black.
People who have this type of bias need to consider why they think as they do.
I will say this as a Black woman: There is something special about experiencing culturally impactful material when you are among an audience of your peers. Meanwhile, in today’s world people are determined to be enraged over issues that have nothing to do with them. I can’t help but want to ask such individuals: Why are you angry about not being invited to a performance that you otherwise likely wouldn’t be interested in in the first place?
I also know that Is God Is is showing in February. At this point it’s incredibly hard for me not to recognize that there are folks who don’t even want to let Black people enjoy a performance that is dedicated to aBlack audience during Black History Month.
Yet if we can’t enjoy a work of Black-focused art then, then when?!
Realizing that people really are that selfish, I’m bracing myself for the days to come. I have no doubt that next month there will be further incidents involving people who are determined to be upset about Black folks who aren’t doing anything that is actually harmful, but are merely… *checks notes* celebrating their culture and themselves.
I have never resented aging. But the way that society and the media handles it…? If you listen to their noise, you could very well get a complex.
‘Round these parts, the stench of the media’s latest agist disaster is still in the air. Every now and then on Twitter, someone seems stunned when a woman’s face has barely changed after 20+ years of being an adult. (Psssst! Forty-something isn’t that old.)
Going grey? Good for you!!
In spite of how amazing we are in real life, to some, the further a woman gets past 40—or hell, even 30—her days are numbered. We have misogynists flummoxed. For, contrary to the content of their Kool-Aid, we exist in this space where we’re not supposed to be relevant.
If you’re an older adult, I salute you. I mean us. Here we are. Alive. Kicking. Killing it. Still living, breathing, and beautiful.
What’s a woman to do?!
Naturally, since this issue is one that affects me, my thoughts are still developing. But in the meantime?
In case you’ve missed the news over the past week or so, here’s a nugget for you.
Here in Canada, Lisa LaFlamme, the anchor of CTV News’ 11PM broadcast, was dismissed.
Since it was first released, this story has become international news: In the United States, People and The Hollywood Reporter have published their own summaries of what happened. The last time I checked Google, stories have also been published in various languages.
LaFlamme’ firing came as a complete shock to her fellow journalists, both at CTV and elsewhere.
And then, there are her viewers. All across Canada, people from all walks of life were stunned by the news.
If you’re reading this from abroad, for some reason an internationally-adequate analogy isn’t coming to me right away. I feel like I need an illustration to explain the impact of what’s going on. But just imagine if, without any warning—or publicly-known indiscretions on their part—someone fired one of your country’s most well-known and respected public figures.
Many people would be shocked and have questions. And in this case… We are, and we do.
Over the past few days I’ve had a lot to say on this topic, but I don’t know if I’ll have time to share my thoughts publicly in writing. Every time I’ve googled news about LaFlamme’s ousting I’ve been met with numerous new takes on the matter. A lot of necessary words have already been said. But today, I heard about this tweet:
Thank you @HeatherMallick for saying this… “There is no reason whatsoever to believe a woman wouldn’t fire a woman because she’s a woman; it happens all the time, if that woman’s job depends on doing it.”https://t.co/QXs4Xha242 via @torontostar
“There is no reason whatsoever to believe a woman wouldn’t fire a woman because she’s a woman; it happens all the time, if that woman’s job depends on doing it.”
Heather Mallick
Journalists have written quite a bit about the role that age and gender discrimination may have played in what happened. At this point I don’t feel an urge to read more opinion pieces about what went on. Their headlines tell me more than enough. And those of us who are disgusted by what happened are likely all thinking the same thing.
But the quotation that Valentyne shared struck something in me. I remember reading that one of LaFlamme’s female bosses balked at the idea of firing her due to sexism. Her reaction drew heavily from that good old, “How could I be prejudiced against you, when I’m one of you?” excuse. Inside, it made me chuckle, as it touched on a familiar sentiment.
In the crazy world that we live in, Black people screw other Black people over all the time. Especially if it means that they can curry favour with those who (they believe) have power over them.
Some are subtle about their efforts, while others are more brazen. These days there are people making an income from lying about racism: Diminishing its impact, being generally dishonest, and so on. I won’t point anyone out, but I’ve heard about their books and seen their articles.
Meanwhile, getting back to the matter at hand, every so-called reason that I’ve read for LaFlamme’s dismissal has been suspect.
The other day I told myself that the only thing that would make the public accept what happened is if the people at Bell Media (the company that owns CTV News) had some sort of smoking gun.
But at this rate, forget smoking. That thing had better be on fire.
Just FYI: My next interview starts off with a question that uses this word. I was inspired to write this post because I wanted to address something that’s been lurking in the atmosphere.
Let’s start things off off with a definition.
According to Merriam-Webster, compassion is a “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.”
These days I’ve noticed that if you suggest that certain people deserve a bit more grace than folks are typically given, some people respond with fear, annoyance, or even disgust. Although I could feel this attitude in the air for the longest while, at first, I couldn’t place its source. I once mused to a friend, “Why do some men act as though if they’re compassionate, they’re going to lose their [insert vital organ here]?”
And then, one day, I saw it. Proof that a popular media personality believes that compassion is detrimental. Long story short, they seemed pretty convinced that compassion is corrosive. In fact, they argued with such conviction, I couldn’t help but believe they had been railing against the supposed evils of compassion for a long time.
This concerns me deeply. Furthermore, the idea of distorting the definition of compassion caused me to think of the impact of what doing such a thing could have on society. How much harm can be caused by misrepresenting something that is not only perfectly normal, but an important part of the human experience?
I’m bothered because it isn’t only that certain people have bad ideas. My antennae goes up when I notice that these people who have bad ideas have large audiences. Their audiences tend to believe what their leaders tell them. The next thing you know, these people’s ideas have an influence on how their audience members interact with others.
And what happens when you insist on putting your trust in bad (incorrect) information? Misunderstandings and needless conflicts.
“But I pledged my allegiance to Bro Code. How could it possibly fail me?”
It does. It can. It has. And it will.
In the past, I’ve attempted to discuss serious race-related issues with people that I’ve otherwise respected, only to be met with ignorance and dismissiveness. Stunned, at first, I wondered why. Their attitudes didn’t match what I thought I knew of them.
Yet after observing certain media gurus’ output, I don’t wonder any longer.
What hope does humanity have of getting rid of bigotry when those with an upper hand in society have role models who paint essential human traits in a negative light?
The Surrendered Intellect
No one is an expert on everything.
It’s widely accepted that different people are going to know more than others about different subjects. This is true simply because of who we are and our various lived experiences. And do you know what? It’s okay.
We understand this regarding certain professions. You can’t fix your car yourself unless you’ve been trained to do so.
We understand this related to sex. Due to our firsthand knowledge, women know more about pregnancy than men.
Yet on race, some white people follow a different pattern: They rush to assert themselves, confident that they know more than people of colour about whether something is actually racist or not. I’ve discussed this before.
Sometimes I think about why this happens. I keep thinking that someone should tell these folks: It’s okay to not speak because you lack knowledge on a subject. Especially when misunderstanding something can affect people’s quality of life, or even safety.
Still, certain media gurus attempt to prove how much of an authority they are on everything—including race. I’ve noticed that they may even share their platforms with so-called experts who share their incorrect points of view. Sometimes, these “experts” are even people of color who claim that problems with racism are grossly exaggerated.
And in return? Their audience hangs on their words. I once tried to consider why people remain devoted to such individuals.
I suppose it can be fun to listen to your heroes. You may believe in them, and therefore, believe that whenever they speak or present something (or someone) to you, you’re getting the straight scoop on the real heart of an issue. But here’s the kicker: When you’re consistently given flawed information, the trust that you place in your idols isn’t wisely invested. Faith in paranoia-driven, dishonest rhetoric doesn’t put you on an inside track. It actually derails your–and society’s–progress.
If you’ve read this far and still insist that I’m wrong, what’s your end game? As you make your way through this world, who is it that you want to get along with? Is it ONLY people who look and think like you–and the people who agree with them, without question?
What you choose to believe about the world and the people in it taints your understanding of society. It also harms your relationships with others. I know that some people listen to certain gurus because they’ve bought into the lie that doing so will make their lives better. But if you choose to believe incorrect information, are you really at an advantage?
Someone who shares their thoughts with the world may be famous. But that does not guarantee that their ideas are correct.
How does this relate to compassion?
We live in the real world. And in the real world, we have to grapple with negative issues. When we interact with others, as we attempt to resolve conflicts, it’s normal to want to reach positive outcomes. And in order for this to happen, a sense of compassion, or the ability to be compassionate towards others, is useful. Especially regarding sensitive subjects.
You can’t use cold, faux-reasoning to resolve legitimate issues. Whoever taught you this is lying.
Writing those last sentences made me cringe as I realize something. The same people who disregard compassion are also taught not to take various forms of prejudice seriously.
I can imagine the warnings that such folks give to others: “Don’t be compassionate! That’s how they get you!!”
What’s the mindset behind this sort of thing? “It’s better to be a cold, wannabe-intellectual, than a sensitive, vulnerable human being”?
If you’ve answered “yes” to that question, why?
Such a model of humanity is not sustainable, or realistic.
Let’s extend this discussion to reference masculinity. The perspective that I’m referring to is often promoted by male public figures to their predominantly male audiences. Men’s perspectives are also important because of their broader influence on the entire world.
When I think of stereotypically manly things that I appreciate, certain traits come to mind.
But have you considered something? Sensitivity and depth are attractive. Both platonically, and romantically. As characteristics go, they suggest good things, such as the likelihood that someone is trustworthy. And isn’t that a good thing?
Meanwhile, those aspects of your personality can’t function properly if you’re busy attempting to mimic an overly-stoic robot.
So why, exactly, do certain people insist on resisting compassion? From what I’ve seen, they believe that it comes with consequences.
There’s that old myth: The idea that you’re less of a (hu)man if you’re too compassionate or sensitive. Yet it’s a myth for a reason.
I’ve even seen people suggest that those who pursue equity secretly have bad intentions. Yet there’s a difference between getting someone to understand why bigotry is bad, and maliciously manipulating them. The latter is not something that interests people. It isn’t in any normal individual’s playbook.
Sadly, though, some are so eager to hang onto bigoted points of view that they insist on painting people of color as villains, no matter what we do.
That mindset is more than tiresome. It’s a road that leads to nowhere.
A Word About Your Black (or [Insert Human Difference Here]) Friends
Let’s get back to something that I mentioned earlier: The times when I’ve been surprised by people’s strange attitudes about racism.
Looking back on those encounters, this year, I started to wonder: How likely is it that these people have ever had a serious, deep, honest conversation about racism with their Black friends?
And I’m not talking about chats on the type of bigotry that hits the headlines. It’s easy for most people to see that those instances are dehumanizing.
I’m referring to racism in all its multifaceted, nuanced glory.
There are racist incidents that never appear on your favourite news channel. And when it comes to eliminating those, some people don’t want to face the truth: Stopping regular, everyday racism involves changing people’s ingrained mindsets and behaviour through education, and practice.
Yet as one Dear Relative has reminded me, ignorance is a choice. One of the reasons that our society is facing today’s challenges is because certain people have consciously decided to ignore reality as others experience it.
You can choose to believe your Black friends when we say that Incident or Behaviour X hurts or is racist. Or you can believe that we are lying. (I was going to say “exaggerating”. But suppose someone has experienced something awful and tells you. And in response, you tell them that they are exaggerating. What do you actually mean?)
What is the actual consequence of believing that people are being honest about the pain that racism causes? Why do people act as though it is bad to do so?
You can choose to explore books and other resources that offer honest depictions of how sinister and pervasive racism is. Or you can turn your attention to those that deny it.
And the deniers are clever. But faux intellectualism can’t obscure the truth.
Racism is real. Trivializing the hardships of people that you claim to care about isn’t helpful. You may get along well with a person of colour. And that’s lovely. But if you deny the veracity of our concerns about things that leave us vulnerable, then your devotion is superficial.
Photo via Josue Escoto on Unsplash. I copied the Racism Iceberg from a source who found it here.
Today my discussion on Juneteenth with Jason Greer continues, as I asked him to share an issue of his own choosing.
Claire Francis – Is there anything that I haven’t brought up thus far related to Juneteenth and its commercialization or portrayal that you think needs to be brought out into the open and discussed further?
Jason Greer – Yes. One thing I will say is that we need to be mindful. And when I say we, I’m saying the general public who will champion Juneteenth needs to be mindful that in the process of wanting more people to celebrate it, we need to be aware of how harshly we condemn people who are trying to celebrate it in the only manner that they know how to. And—
CF – What do you mean by that?
JG – I’ve actually had people come to me—I’ve had organizations come to me and say, “We want to celebrate Juneteenth. But we’ve seen the social media flack that Target has received, we’ve seen the social media flank the Walmart has received, and we’re scared that that’s going to be us because we’re scared to death of saying something wrong or doing something wrong.”
CF – I see. Because, l’ve noticed something. [Given that] we’re in a very tumultuous time, regarding race relations, there’s a lot of pain, and a lot of healing. And a lot of difficult, uncomfortable, unfortunate conversations that need to be had. And, in the positive corner of all this tumultuousness that’s happening, there are people who want to make a difference and people who want to make things better, and contribute to a healing atmosphere to help humanity and help us move forward. And people are putting forth efforts. [But] that’s also where you end up with things like Walmart’s ice cream.
People are trying, and companies are trying, but as you said, they run the risk of making mistakes. And I think there needs to be room for forgiveness, as well as accountability. But at the same time, I hope that companies know that there’s life beyond what is said on social media.
JG – Yeah.
CF – Because it can be a very negative atmosphere.
JG –Agreed. And I love everything you just said. But I think it also gets back to the complicated history that we have with race. And at some point, within white America, it was understood that in order to demonstrate that you’re anti racist, you just don’t talk about race at all. And so, part of the challenge that we find is that—I go back to the George Floyd moment. How many people reached out to myself? They reached out to my wife. And, you know, we both grew up in predominately white areas. And so, these were people, many of whom we went to grade school with. We were the only Black folks in our respective classes.
CF – Yes.
JG –And now, all of a sudden, they’re asking questions about race. And I look to my wife at one point, I said, “Are they just now discovering that racism is still a thing?” Only to find out that many of them really were just now discovering that racism is still a thing. And a lot of it has to do with the fact that their social circles look just like them.
CF – Yes.
JG – Their church circles and their places of worship look just like them. And their only interaction with people that look like you and me are in the workplace, and even that can be sort of a “hi” and “bye” kind of thing. So I think the challenge that we have when we talk about Juneteenth overall, is: There are many of us who are sort of at the PhD level as it relates to race because we have to live it. We live it and deal with it every single day. How many times do you find yourself sitting around watching television talking to a buddy, and all of a sudden you start talking about race? And you talk about it the way you talk about the weather, right? It’s fine, because that’s our experience.
Whereas I think for other folks that I’ve encountered, they’re so far behind, because they can talk to you about sports, they can talk to you about their job, they can talk to you about politics, but as far as race goes, they’ve never really spoken about it.
CF – Very true. And I think when people don’t know how to speak about it, they perceive openness about race in a negative light, and that can be quite frustrating.
JG – Yeah, it can be, especially when you’re trying to share your heart. Because I know for myself, I’ve gone into so many conversations about race, not from an attitude of condemnation, but from an attitude of, “I just want to help you understand.” And sometimes I’m met with that understanding. Other times I’m met with an abrupt, “I’m not racist!” And as soon as they say that, things kind of shut down. So it doesn’t matter what I say as a follow up if they just shut down. But I think that’s the tug and pull of diversity and inclusion.
CF – Very, very true. And that’s something that we’re dealing with. Getting back to Juneteenth and race, diversity, and inclusion: You mentioned the companies that want to try. But they don’t want to be the next Walmart or whomever.
JG – Yeah, but let’s be real. Then you have those companies that don’t just try—they do. I mean, when you look at Ben and Jerry’s ice cream—long before diversity became a cool catch phrase, they were out there actively promoting social causes. They were not afraid when people came at them for their stance on Black Lives, and their stance on the LGBTQ+ community. They came back just as hard as the people who are coming at them, like, “Hey, the fact that you’re upset means the we’re doing something right. In fact, we’re gonna go ahead and promote more ice cream with more social causes!” So again, it’s one of those things that if you’re going to do it, then do it. Right?
CF – Absolutely.
JG – Because you’re going to be tested. And when you get tested, are you going to fold? Or, are you going to keep moving forward?
CF – Exactly. And what you just said to me, I think is very important in this era of all the tension that we have. People need to be willing to persevere in spite of opposition.
JG – Yes. I mean it. I always go back to how on Martin Luther King’s birthday, there are always people who post cherry-picked quotes from Dr. King on social media.
CF – Yes.
JG – And they talk about what a wonderful man he was. And that’s cool. But, talk in context, because Martin Luther King, before he died, was one of the most hated men on the face of the planet. And Martin Luther King marched. If you’re going to celebrate the man, celebrate the struggle that made the man. Martin Luther King marched in the face of crippling racism, people spitting on him. People threatening to kill him. They killed him, but he wanted to be a drum major for peace in a world that did not want him to even breathe or take another breath. And so, if we’re going to honor Martin Luther King and you’re going to say that he’s one of your heroes, then attitude follows leadership.
CF – “Attitude follows leadership…” Yes. That’s true, I think individuals and companies have to stay focused on their goals. And tune out noise.
How can companies avoid making mistakes related to diversity and Juneteenth-related issues? And what should their response be if they actually do make a mistake?
JG –Great question. Fail fast.
Fail fast. Acknowledge the mistake. But understand that there is growth through failure. Because if your central position is that we want to stand for this particular cause, then we take a stand. And we don’t buckle, we acknowledge when we get it wrong. I mean, I’ll use example of Target again. Target acknowledged when they got it wrong, but that didn’t stop them from moving forward with their product line. It didn’t stop them from going out of their way to give Black graphic artists, Black creators, and designers opportunities to put their message out there.
CF – You mention the idea of failing fast as well as the idea of growth through failure. Would you say that companies ought to implement certain safe safeguards or take precautions—in terms of staffing and who they hire, or who they consult?
Let’s look at the example of Walmart and their ice cream. There were probably customers who were thinking something like, “Lord, who thought of that?!” And, sometimes when companies come up with things, I’m thinking, “Didn’t they have any Black people to ask?” But what if they did have Black people to ask about this, you know?
JG – Yeah.
CF – And the Black person said it was okay. Or they thought it was cool…
JG – I was going to actually say we’re thinking alike here, because I was going to say that representation does, indeed matter. Especially when you’re trying to spread a message of inclusivity. But, again, I think this is why it’s so critically important that you have subject matter experts around you.
CF – Yes.
JG – Because, I mean, Twitter was on fire over Juneteenth ice cream. And you just read and comment after comment. You know, “clearly they don’t have any Black folks”, “who approved this or that?” Well, there’s 19 or 20 subcultures within the African American community as a whole. So it’s is very possible that they actually did go to someone Black. And they said, “What do you think?” And they might have said, “I think this is a great idea.” I’m scratching my head hoping that wasn’t the case. But you never know. So I stand by this attitude of fail fast. Acknowledge where you get it wrong.
CF – Yes.
JG – And continue to put yourself out there with the understanding that for everything we get wrong, there are going to be times when we get it right. Now, you might not get any kind of public validation for what you’ve gotten right. Because in today’s society, people are so fast to jump on what they perceive as wrong, but don’t often give kudos to that which is actually right. But if, internally, your organization can legitimately say, “We are moving the needle in terms of not just Juneteenth, we’re moving it in terms of social conscience, because we’re moving people toward this attitude that diversity and inclusion actually matters to us. And if it matters to us, our hope is that it matters to you…” That’s power in itself.
But this is not one of those things where you build a brand-new stadium, and 100,000 people show up, and you know that they love the stadium based on the fact that they’re packing it in. It’s not that kind of game. Right? It’s the validation of knowing that we’re doing the right thing, not just for in terms of our business, but also in terms of the social imprint that we want to leave.
CF – Excellent. Thank you. So before we go, one thing that was brought up is that you mentioned Target and how they consulted and work with Black artists, which is meaningful.
But what happens when Black creators are not in the picture? Do you think that the efforts mean as much as they should, or will be acknowledged as much? Here, I’m thinking of the heart of the people who are promoting the material. And whether it’s genuine or not, based on who they have creating the material. Do you think that’s an important factor to consider?
JG – As far as making sure that they have representation?
CF – Yes! Genuine representation.
JG – I think it does matter. But understand that even in making sure that you have representation, it doesn’t always mean that you have to have 100% Black voices. But if you’re going to have somebody or some bodies who are going to put together something, yes. Make sure they understand the culture.
I mean, to me, you’ve got to understand your audience’s language in order to speak to them. And if you’re guessing at the language, or doing a Google search as to what the language is, then you don’t inherently understand it.
The mark of any good salesperson is their ability to understand and anticipate the needs of their clients, or potential clients. It’s the same thing here. If I’m going to market a service to you, I have to know how to speak to you. And if I don’t know how to speak to you, then I shouldn’t be speaking to you. Or I should sit back and actually try to learn what you need to hear.
Once again, I’ve been interviewing Jason Greer—an internationally recognized Labor Relations and Diversity Management Consultant who is known as the “Employee Whisperer.” He can be found online via the website for his business, Greer Consulting.
The story of Juneteenth is an important part of American history: On January 1, 1863, in the United States, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Yet enslaved Texans did not know that they had been set free until two and a half years later. On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order Number 3. This document declared what the rest of America knew: Under the law, enslaved Texans were liberated. Since that day, African Americans have been celebrating their ancestors’ freedom. And on June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday in the United States.
This year, various companies marketed Juneteenth products to consumers. But some of their items were more well-received than others.
Efforts such as Walmart’s Juneteenth Ice Cream didn’t fare very well with consumers. People criticized the company and questioned their sincerity.
Truly, there’s a rift between how some organizations depict Juneteenth, and the way the Black community celebrates it. When a company’s efforts insult their audience, they risk alienating them.
Recently I discussed Juneteenth’s commercialization with Black business and communications experts. They offered me insights into what companies can do if they want to genuinely show their support for this revered holiday. The key lies in understanding the true meaning of Juneteenth: To Black Americans, the day is not about merchandise.
My Juneteenth series begins with part one of my discussion with Mr. Jason Greer.
Jason Greer is an internationally recognized Employee/Labor Relations and Diversity Management Consultant who is known as the “Employee Whisperer.” His tremendous ability to get in on the ground in any business allows him to immediately form relationships and improve morale and employer-employee relations. Greer has had incredible success due his background in Labor Relations, counselling psychology, and organizational development. He has more than 17 years in this industry and his company, Greer Consulting, Inc., ranks in the top 5% of labor and employee relations consulting companies in America.
I started by asking Mr. Greer my signature question.
Claire Francis – Question number one: In the years before Juneteenth became a federal holiday, what did it mean to you?
Jason Greer – Freedom. And I’ll tell you why.
Before Juneteenth became Juneteenth, what I was taught was that there’s the Fourth of July, which is America’s day to shoot fireworks, etc. And then there was actually Juneteenth which—[according to] how I was brought up—Juneteenth actually should be America’s holiday, because that’s when everybody was theoretically free.
When you look at July 4, in terms of it being Independence Day, it meant independence for some, not independence for all. But when you look at Juneteenth, it’s [for] you. It’s right there. It’s factual, its historical. That’s when the slaves were officially free, two years later than when they were theoretically freed in terms of the law. So that’s what it means to me. It’s been interesting to see the evolution of Juneteenth, because it’s sort of taken on a different flavor.
CF – After Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act last year, did you have any concerns about how the day would be perceived, or anything that would change?
JG – I don’t know that I had any concerns. I just remember thinking, “This is interesting…” because it was right on the heels of instances of voting rights being under attack. And it sort of felt like “We [the government] won’t give you this, but we’ll give you this…”
Does that make sense?
CF – It does.
JG – So, I don’t know that I had any concerns. But I found that the timing was interesting. And my hope was, “Well, no one said that life is fair. So maybe there are still opportunities here for learning, for growth, for an appreciation of a very dark history.” And when I say appreciation, acknowledgement is appreciation. And there was not a formal acknowledgement prior to that moment.
CF – In a sense I guess, it felt like the least officials could do. With Juneteenth becoming an official holiday, I suppose it’s hard not to feel a little bit hopeful when something like that happens.
JG – And I live in this life: I call it the glass half full, right? Because, on one hand, I’ve heard some people say it was just a consolation prize, but then on the other hand, a consolation prize, historically, was nothing. So from this perspective, Juneteenth’s change in status represents the start of something. And especially within corporate America, I’ve seen some wonderful conversations that have happened as a result of this occasion. Conversations that would not have happened or may not have happened within the next five to 10 years. So for companies and organizations across the board, who are honoring Juneteenth, I think it’s really cool that the government is actually putting some action behind their promises.
CF – Now, I’m going to turn my attention to the commercialization of Juneteenth. Taking a look at retailers, for example, there was that recent controversy over Walmart’s Juneteenth Ice Cream. Considering the issue of commercialization and corporate-based influences, and maybe media influences as well—what are your overall concerns regarding retailers understanding of the holiday?
JG – Well, what I’ll say is that I wonder if they understand Juneteenth. [Especially] when you see retailers that are doing these Juneteenth displays, and part of their display is watermelon and Kool Aid, and some of the stereotypical food items that are associated with African Americans. I think that’s when we start to run into some issues. But what I would like to see is this: If you’re going to honor Juneteenth, then honor Juneteenth.
Memorial Day happens every year. And so, because this is America, you can’t get away from the commercialization of anything.
CF – Absolutely.
JG –If there’s an opportunity to make a buck, it’s going to make a buck. But even when you look at Memorial Day sales for furniture stores, or other places, even in their graphics, there’s an acknowledgement of the people who died in defense of our country. So, it’s sort of one of those things where, if you’re going to commercialize it, add some context to it.
CF – Concerning retailers’ attitudes towards Juneteenth, what are some of the things that you think they have done well, or have gotten right?
JG – I’ll tell you what. I know that Target has caught a lot of flak for some of the items that they put out, in respect to African Americans, especially in respect to Juneteenth. But when you look at their approach to inclusion, they literally have gone to Black designersand brands, giving them opportunities at a high level, that they maybe they would not have received otherwise. So even though maybe some of the delivery was not as favorable as people would have liked it to be, or as culturally sensitive as people would have liked, I think that Target is leading in terms of their approach.
The fact is that when they get it wrong, they get it wrong, and they acknowledge that they get it wrong. So they fail fast. I think that some organizations that I’m seeing as a whole, again, are really taking Juneteenth seriously.
And they are going out of their way to bring in speakers. They’re going out of their way to bring in informed subject matter experts. As much [of a] subject matter expert as you can be on the human condition. And they are actively engaging in dialogue about how we can become a more diverse and inclusive workspace.
CF – You mentioned Target and the fact that they use Black designers for their goods and different items that they offer the public. What else do you think people could or should do if they want to celebrate Juneteenth, or show that their company cares about the holiday?
JG – The first thing is, begin. Just do it. And understand that in doing it, you’re not going to get it right 100% of the time. Because they always say race and politics are those two topics that you generally don’t talk about around the water cooler. But I think at the same time, especially when you consider our country’s complex relationship with race, and class, as well as other social structures, what I would encourage organizations to do is to begin to have conversations. Be open and reflective about what is shared, but also create as non-judgmental of a space as you possibly can.
Because for all the people who are on board with Juneteenth, there are others who are not on board because maybe it goes against what they personally believe, or maybe they don’t understand it. I read something the other day that said that nearly 30% of white Americans had heard of Juneteenth. Well, that number was over 60% for African Americans.
According to a Gallup poll, “More than two in three Black Americans (69%) say they have a lot or some knowledge about Juneteenth, compared with 40% of Hispanic Americans and 31% of White Americans.”
So I think there’s a lot of teaching that can go on as a result of this conversation.
CF – You’ve brought up a really important point about wanting to have staff informed because you’re trying to educate the public and make customers feel welcome. Regarding Juneteenth, you want to make sure that your company supports those initiatives and objectives from the beginning. And employees need to understand why Juneteenth is important to your customers. But then you also brought up the idea of people who might not understand Juneteenth, or might not be interested, etc.
I was thinking about how you can start if, say, you’re at a company where only one person is interested in a Juneteenth initiative, and everyone else is saying no. When you talk about beginning, how can people begin? Do you think they should hire diversity consultants?
JG – Great question. First, do a critical assessment as to whether or not this is something that you want to take on. I think any organization that’s doing diversity just for the sake of diversity, without understanding the responsibility that they have when they introduce diversity into their corporation or organization, is doing themselves a disservice. So understanding that it’s a Federal holiday, we get that part. But if you’re going to introduce conversation around Juneteenth, get subject matter experts.
Also make sure that if you happen to have African Americans that work for you, that you’re not automatically putting them on the spot to be the subject matter expert on all things Juneteenth. Because the reality is, they might be accountants, they might work in human resources, they might work wherever—they didn’t sign on to be your diversity trainer. Does that make sense?
CF – Yes. I think sometimes people might be overly eager, or presumptuous, and think, “Oh, you’re Black, you can talk about diversity…” Well, can they? And that brings up the issue that you mentioned: Are they skilled in the area of expertise that’s required?
JG –You know, I was watching this movie called Emergency, on Amazon Prime. I haven’t finished it, so I can’t tell you what it’s all about. But in the beginning of the movie, two young brothers were in a college class. And their white professor walks in, and she says, “Okay, as you might have seen on the syllabus, today might be a bit triggering for many of you, because we’re going to talk about hate speech.” And she introduces the n-word. And she has it spelled out on the board. You see everyone kind of getting uncomfortable. And she continues to say the word but she’s not saying “the n-word”. She’s saying it plainly and using variations of it. And you see the two Black students being uncomfortable. You see the white students around them that are uncomfortable. And then, she finally looks at them and she goes, (paraphrasing) “you know, not to put you two on the spot. But can you argue some clarification as to the [use of the] n-word?” Everybody turned around to look at them.
I’m bringing that up as an example: Unless your African American employees volunteer for something like this, don’t just automatically assume that they are going to be your Juneteenth spokespeople.
CF – Absolutely. [Note: Discussing racism can be exhausting, traumatizing, and stressful. This is something that needs to be considered when approaching people of color.]
In your dealings as a labor relations person, regarding employees who want to honor Juneteenth: What, if any, common issues have you noticed across industries, and even companies, related to the recognition of Juneteenth, or other holidays, such as Cinco de Mayo—that are connected to diverse communities?
JG – What I’ll say is that I remember when MLK Day was introduced. There was this understanding of Dr. King, because he was such a strong historical figure. From a kid’s perspective, because I was in college, there was this idea that, “It’s about time!”. Right?
I think when you look at a Juneteenth, there’s so little understanding across the board as to what it is. Although there’s acceptance because it’s a federal holiday, there’s still this idea of, “I don’t know exactly what Juneteenth is”. Now, that’s not everybody. But I think there’s still a lot of learning that’s going on.
And you brought up Cinco de Mayo. You have these historical holidays for groups of people, that mean something to so many folks. I think where people are sometimes disappointed is when something that means so much to them is just theoretical to other people, and there’s not as strong of an embrace as you would have hoped.
CF – So, what do you think can be done to remedy the situation and keep employers informed? Do you think we should have education programs?
JG – Definitely education. Whether you’re bringing somebody in to speak on Juneteenth… Or, how about this? Google is a powerful tool. And if you can find the details of the Johnny Depp, Amber Heard trial [*laughter*], you can find the details of what goes into Juneteenth. I think there has to be a willingness though.
CF – Willingness, how, though? What do you think people can do about willingness in the workplace looking at not only employees, but of course, whether you’re in a school dealing with administrators, or a corporation with executives: What do you think can be done in order to encourage interest in awareness—getting employers to understand that when you are moving towards understanding and appreciating your diverse employees, you will appreciate their traditions as well?
JG – I think you just honestly said it, right.
CF – I was also going to ask you about what steps can be taken. You mentioned things like having a speaker come and talk. Yet it’s hard to support the idea of changing hearts and minds, because it’s up to the individual—whether or not they want to be informed about Juneteenth.
JG – Can I say something? Sometimes it comes down to employees actually going to their employers and saying, “This is what we would like to happen”. Because when you consider Amazon, Amazon makes a big deal of Juneteenth now. They bring in speakers, they bring in entertainers, it’s really, it’s a rockstar-level celebration. But that came from employees saying to Amazon, you don’t honor Juneteenth and we want you to.
CF – Well, that’s good. I’m very glad that that Amazon is accepting of their employees’ desires in that way. On the opposite end of the spectrum, though, it made me wonder what employees might want to do if their employers are resistant to the idea of celebrating Juneteenth.
JG – The easy answer is to be patient. And continue to sow the seeds internally as to why Juneteenth is important to you, why Juneteenth would be important to the organization. Continue to raise your voice, but be mindful of who you’re raising your voice to. And be consistent. I mean, life is more than just a hashtag that comes and goes. If you believe that this is something that would be good in terms of honoring Juneteenth for the people that you work with, really consider what it says about your organization. Because these days, you have people who they will let you know what they think about your corporate stance based on their willingness to do business with you. Or on the other side of that, their unwillingness to do business with you.
And understand that there are going to be consumers who want to do business with companies that honor Juneteenth and make a big deal of it. And there are going to be people on the other side of the equation that who don’t want to do business with you because you honor Juneteenth.
CF – Yes. Now, when you’re looking at Juneteenth and retailers, we can look at two things: There’s the way they treat their employees. And there’s the way they arrange their businesses to serve, or not serve, their customers. So if you have retailers who are set against celebrating Juneteenth, or just haven’t considered it, where do you think retailers misunderstanding of Juneteenth comes from?
JG – I would say a lack of knowledge, and a general lack of understanding of what Juneteenth means to America. I think that’s one of the aspects of the Juneteenth discussion that we have to be careful of. It’s far too easy to say that it’s a Black holiday, or holiday for Black people, when the reality is that Juneteenth is a holiday for all people. Because, we’re not talking about the abolishment of, you know, yellow Starburst, right?
I’d say that because I don’t like them. [*laughter*]
We’re talking about the abolishment of slavery—of human beings, who happen to be Black. I think that if we can honor [all of] the things that we honor in our country, why wouldn’t we honor something that was a positive step toward human rights?
CF – Yes. Thank you very much. In your answer you made the point about people needing to understand that this is not just a Black holiday. And that made me think of Blackness, and in particular people’s resistance to the idea of it. I couldn’t help but think of how sometimes people think that when something is somehow connected to Black folks, that automatically means that it ought to be disregarded. “Oh, this is [traditionally celebrated by] Black people?” “Oh, no, thank you!”
That’s certainly something that I think needs to change across the board.
Looking at my questions… Did we discuss how Juneteenth has been received thus far? What have you noticed?
JG – I think that there’s some quarters that are very accepting of it. The moment that it was signed into law, they’re like, let’s roll. Right? Let’s, let’s dig into this. I think there are others who are actively resisting it, because of the perception that it’s a Black holiday. And then there are probably a large swath of people who have absolutely no idea what it is. And so there’s not an act of resistance as much as they’re just in the dark as to what it means.
For the Fourth of July, on social media, we see posts featuring people who are, grilling, they’re doing fireworks, and so on. It’s very a celebratory atmosphere for Fourth of July. It’d be an interesting thing, maybe 20 years from now to see people across the board who are grilling and shooting off fireworks, in that same celebratory mood for Juneteenth. That’s my hope.
claire.she.goes 