Hi all,
We believe that Black History Month is as important as ever, but we simply couldn't ignore what's happening in the Middle East. So, while we've decided to still include Tashan's piece below, we also wanted to share with you some of our learnings from the last week when supporting our clients regarding events in the Middle East. It's very top line but I hope it helps.
1. Be clear on the 'why' behind any internal or public statements. Before hitting send, check in on your 'why'. Why are you communicating? As with all elements of allyship, beware of being performative. You're unlikely to be able to say something that keeps everybody happy but we've appreciated comments from surprising sources - Gigi Hadid and also Patrick Kielty's soliloquy on RTE. As ever, Marina Hyde got it spot on when she talked about 'keeping our side of the fence clean' which leads us to...
2. Keep our side of the fence clean. I imagine none of you are able to impact anything that is happening in the Middle East right now. We can, however, influence what happens in our workplaces and our communities. In these challenging times, how do we want to show up? How can we support one another and take care of ourselves?
3. Consider who might be carrying pain. It goes without saying that people are hurting right now. Hopefully you know your people well enough to know who this might be. Also walk the line between engaging with involved communities and asking them to carry even more emotional labour. I'm trying to remember that the person at the bus stop, the teacher at school or the person that pulls in front of me at the roundabout might be suffering and to choose kindness in these smallest of moments.
4. Educate yourself. If you're anything like me, your knowledge of twentieth century history is pretty flimsy from school. My knowledge of what happened 4000 years ago is non-existent. Unfortunately, this is behind a paywall but I'd argue it's worth the subscription fee alone. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-israel-gaza-palestine-war-conflict-history-explained-xz0jv3phq
We continue to believe in the power of dialogue and pray for love and peace.
Rox x
And now, over to one of our newest coaches and facilitators, the fabulous Tashan Nicholas, to offer his reflection on Black History Month...
"Black History Month holds a special place in the hearts of many. It provides an opportunity to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the Black community's incredible achievements, resilience, and impact on the UK.
This year we have the honour of the theme of "Saluting Our Sisters". This is particularly important to me as a human growing up in a family lead by the benevolent matriarch that was my grandmother. To me, this means creating a month of positive, consistent, and empowering energy.
BlackHistoryMonth.org tells us that the theme of "Saluting our Sisters" pays homage to black women who've had contributions ignored, ideas appropriated, and voices silenced. So this month you have an opportunity to salute Black women in and around our lives.
Some might wonder what this looks like, and how we can show up. Here are some ways we can be inclusive of our Sisters in, and out, of the month of October.
- Creating environments where Black Women can shine - with their permission, of course.
- Educating ourselves with examples of Black Woman in our networks, wider networks, and beyond
- Reaching out to family and friends and really getting in touch to see how they are, what their dreams are, and how we can really show up and support them.
- Investing in time and resources designed to support Black Women.
I'm so excited to have a month where we can scream about the heartbeat of the Black community...Black Women.
What does it mean to you?"
Tashan