Insights from The RAARE Women Collective Webinar
At Cofinity, we are working to advance Consciousness at Work, and DEI / Racial Equity is part of this work. It begins with having awareness of the problems that exist, awareness of how our frameworks, systems, and beliefs have been established and therefore have influenced our privilege, (in)exclusion, leadership, and biases. We are ‘waking up’ to the change that is required in our companies, communities and world for all people to feel valued, included, and have equal opportunities to thrive.
We aim to shift the fundamental belief that white people are superior to black people and people of color.
We believe human is human.
And, as a women Founder/CEO of Cofinity, a white woman, a woman of hispanic ancestry, and a woman of privilege, I am here to do my part.
In 2010, at the Vancouver Peace Summit, The Dali Lama said, “The world will be saved by western women.”
We believe he didn’t mean white women! He meant ALL women.
We are so excited to be an Ambassador to the RAARE Women’s Collective. A collective of white women, black women, and women of color creating frameworks and initiatives we collectively clarify and implement together that will eradicate racism.
We know Black people alone can’t change the face of racism and white people can’t either. Only in community can we make real change. We are looking forward to THIS community and coming together to vision and originate change that will change our world.
Listen to the Replay of the Raare Women’s Collective Webinar.
As we get ready for Louisville in November, we wanted to share some highlights from our September online webinar.
Racism foundational understanding and definitions:
Racism is the belief that black and brown people are inferior human beings to white people and it's the systems, structures, policies and institutions that protect that belief.
Racial Equity is as much about a movement. REVOLUTION redefined.
Proportional Fairness that takes into full account the cultural and historic and historic realities facing people of color, as distinct from all other people, and works to remedy the same.
Proportional Fairness in Action
We are planning to create a unified partnership on racial equity.
How can white women partner with black women? How can we be ‘coached’ and learn from Black women about what is required for change to occur.
Why White Women? We have proximity to white men, AND we have access and ability.
There are many historically significant white women who have championed change: Joan C. Browning, Joan Mulholland, Jane Elliot, Anne Braden, and most recently all the white women in Louisville who stood arm and arm against what happened to Briana Taylor.
What would it look like if women from all over the country stood shoulder to shoulder and declared… “Enough!”
Black women have a right to feel cautious entering this space.
There has been centuries of trauma endured by black people at the hands of white people.
White people have a track record of abuse and as a result, there is a lack of trust.
There has been a lack of acknowledgement of power-over dynamics and no significant change since the Civil Rights movement.
Racial Equity and DEI work is the de facto disruptive work: 1) it’s counter cultural, 2) it’s deep seeded, 3) it's emotional and sometimes hard, and 4) White women have the right to lead in this space of advancing racial equity with the support of black women. White women do have a right to have a point of view on racism as well. Black women don’t own the right to be angry at it.
There is a COST to Hate. Racism has cost our country 16 TRILLION (that’s trillion) dollars in lost GDP over the last 20 years. In racism, we ALL lose.
monetary policy (interest rates - federal reserve), fiscal policy (infrastructure budget - congress) - they rely on the health of the middle class - they are the proxy for how the economy works - when making decisions (what is the middle class doing?) By 2025 will be mainly hispanic and black - first time they are meaningfully representative - lack of economic mobility is due to racism
Culturally there has been a degradation of decency. We are aware of it, yet will not take part in shaming others or harm swapping.
The work of racism, like anything else begins WITHIN. We must investigate our own truths, understand, admit, and learn about how we can transform the old into new ideologies, beliefs, and actions.
Starting the inner work: investigate your beliefs, manage your emotions, dialogue with others with curiosity, not judgment
The goal is NOT to transform in one single conversation, your goal is to soften AND SHOW them an alternative. And good news is, as we really begin to understand the authentic mastery and leveraging of who we are as women, our naturally influential selves, can really have impact. - Nikki Lanier
Ask yourself: What has racism stolen from you? From you personally?
We are shifting the win-lose mindset to win-win. There is not only 1 pie.
JOIN A COMMUNITY OF WOMEN WORKING TO ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY.
Learn more about The RAARE Women Collective gathering in Louisville, Kentucky in November 2nd - 4th.
Who is this for?
Want to lead in the delusion of racism but don’t know how
Rarely know what to say with friends and family members displaying racism in the moment
Are worried about getting cross-ways with black women saying the wrong thing, being too woke, not woke enough
Aren’t sure how to identify racism other than through over behaviors
Are as sick of racism as POC
Are looking for a community of women to support this work with - all assented to the same language, framework, model and resources to support learning and impact
Want to set a new legacy
Have a commitment to BE racial equity in action, every day
Are a tiny-bit crazy to believe in the unimaginable.
Learn more about Nikki Lanier and her work creating racial equity in the workplace as a Founder of Harper Slade LLC here.
Learn about about Cofinity’s work: www.cofinityconsulting.com