Anti-Racism Consulting
Many companies struggle to solve their “racism problem”. A common response I hear from folks is “well if people stop being racist, then there wouldn’t be a racism problem”. That’s where I see companies struggle the most. There is this perception that if we dismantle the presence of individual racism, then the problem is solved, ignoring the fact that racism is ingrained in the company culture. So whenever I’m in a consultation call with a potential new client, these are some things I want them to know about this work.
4 Things You Can Expect When Working with an Anti-Racism Consultant
1) This is long term work
Solving your “racism problem” won’t happen overnight. I am not the consultant you choose when you are seeking to check off a box and prove to your staff that you care. I am the consultant that you work with when you want to make a long-term commitment to dismantling white supremacy and healing. I am also not the consultant that wants to work with you forever. My goal and hope is to employ you and your staff with the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to effectively respond to a racist comment, a sexist policy, or even a gap in recruitment.
2) My job is not to say the things you want to hear
If you are looking for someone to avoid saying the things that may hurt your feelings, I am not the consultant for you. What I say may in fact do the exact opposite. As a trained clinician, I know exactly how to respond to folks who are struggling to grapple with their personal relationships with white supremacy. I marry my role as a consultant and a clinician together to help you parse through any shame, guilt, or pain you may be experiencing when talking about racism.
3) I take confidentiality very seriously
I am not your undercover cop. I will not share exactly what your staff shares with me in confidence. Whenever I lead a workshop or healing space I remind folks of this continuously. I have found that folks are much more comfortable disclosing to me their experiences of racism or oppression knowing that I am not legally expected to report it. What I will do is use that information to suggest recommendations for the organization to ensure that this harm won’t occur again.
4) This work requires a financial commitment.
I don’t mean this in a capitalistic way. I want to direct you back to #1. This work will probably take months, maybe even years. Additionally, working as an anti-racist consult, as a Black queer woman comes with its own challenges, pains, and traumas. My rates are not just reflecting the labor and energy I put into drafting a specialized curriculum for each and every workshop, they are reflecting the taxing energy it takes to hear staff share just how deeply traumatic it is to work with your company.
These rates also compensate me when I am met with micro and sometimes macro aggressions in this work. I have had staff question my intellect, use racial slurs to describe me, and even attempt to withhold payment because I used the term “white supremacy” in a workshop.
Finding Your Match
Finding that perfect consultant match isn’t always easy. With all of this being said, I hope this helps you choose the best consultant for you. If you’d like to book a consultation, you can do so here.