ACCOUNT ASSISTANT LOUIS LANG TELLS US WHY WE MUST KEEP HAVING AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACIAL EQUALITY IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND BEYOND
2020 has been a whirlwind of a year. Alongside adjusting to the ever-changing 'new normal' as the world navigates a global pandemic, pivotal social events have shone a spotlight on systemic problems that have been overlooked by society for years. For me, the most resonant has undoubtedly been the Black Lives Matter movement and the events that preceded it, which as a young black male I relate to directly.
Watching the world seemingly come together to unite in outrage over the death of George Floyd and push for police reform did feel like a turn for the better. Brands flocked to social channels to pledge support, Instagram turned black for a day and people began talking and sharing stories and resources in a way that they hadn’t before. But now, as we near the end of a month in which black culture, history and lives should be celebrated, it’s important to reflect on whether things have really changed at all.
From a black person’s perspective, as the months have passed the support has become all too gimmicky and only serves to emphasis the naivety around racial inequality in society. L'Oréal received backlash for its support of the movement after it was revealed that the brand’s first transgender model, Munroe Bergdorf (who is indeed black herself), was sacked of her duties for commenting on racial matters in 2017. Retail giant, Urban Outfitters, also came under fire when posting the trendy black square of solidarity for #BlackOutTuesday which prompted many ex-employees to call out the company’s hypocrisy as they voiced their experiences of sexist and racist practices.
While many people in the UK were appalled by the events unfolding in America, let’s remember that ingrained societal prejudices still exist in Britain today. For example, black people are still 10 times more likely to be victims of stop and search compared to white people*. In employment, black workers with degrees earn 23.1% less on average than their white counterparts, while just six percent of black school leavers are accepted into Russell Group universities*. Even our own industry has a glaring issue with providing equal opportunities - the PR world is 91% white.
I often question how I can play my part in changing what is a long-standing, global issue. It’s important to stay focused on solutions. I can't emphasis enough how crucial it is for people from all backgrounds to do more if they truly care about erasing racial prejudice from all walks of society.
I wanted to share five steps that can be implemented in our daily lives to help to keep this important conversation going.
1. Educate yourself
It may be obvious that if you are uneducated on a subject, then you should seek the necessary resources to become knowledgeable, but how many of us really do that? There are loads of ways to continue learning, so find materials that will keep you engaged with the matter. Look for films, documentaries and blogs that highlight the importance of the BLM movement and dedicate even a tiny part of your day or week to learning. I'd also recommend looking at how these issues affect the black community in the UK.
2. Educate others
Once you feel like you have a better understanding of the subject, you have a duty to share what you've learned, when appropriate, with your nearest and dearest. There is no point being clued up on a matter to then ignore someone's ignorance in your presence, particularly if they are close to you and so you can have a rational, sensible discussion.
3. Acknowledge your privilege
From my own experience, this seems to be the most challenging part of talking about racial inequality in society. Acknowledging and understanding that you have a privilege that many do not is an important part of educating yourself. It will also give you a better understanding of the challenges and setbacks that the black community continuously overcome in society due to the colour of their skin.
4. Be mindful of others’ perspectives
You’ll probably start to see a gradual change in how you approach conversations with your black friends and colleagues. If there is an instance where they feel offended by a comment you've made, see this as a chance to learn why rather than being dismissive of their feelings. It is very easy to overlook someone's perspective, once you feel like you have adequately educated yourself on a topic, let alone someone’s personal struggles.
5. Be consistent
My final piece of advice is to be consistent with all of the above! As we've seen, many people care about this topic when it is forced upon them but fall by the wayside when it is no longer front-page news.
For example, you may not interact with a black person or other ethnic minorities outside of your work hours, so consistently implementing these five easy steps can go a long way to keeping you engage in the conversation.
It is essential that, as a society, we are able to be self-reflective and conscious of each other's heritage, upbringings and daily struggles. I hope that implementing these steps will not only be appreciated by your black peers but help make conversations about race feel less awkward, in this month and beyond.