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This week, in solidarity with the #ShareTheMic movement, we hear from Liza Butegwa, Account Coordinator at McPherson Strategies.
Dear all,
The past few weeks have been emotionally draining for all of us. When Susan asked me to take over the opening of our newsletter, my first reaction was — where do I even start?
Me. I am a black woman. A black African woman. A black African immigrant woman now living in the U.S.
These are the facets of my identity that are most relevant to this letter because they have been used against me in a million ways, here and in many places I have lived over the years.
During a family trip years ago, my mother organized a visit to a slave port. On a sunny tropical day, we descended make-shift stairs (that didn’t exist 400 years ago) into a dank, dark cave. Chains were still suspended from the ceiling, nail marks across the walls, and the guide made sure to let us know: when the tide came in, the shorter slaves would drown. The small space saw lives taken, children ripped from their parents, human beings viewed as animals. A heartbreaking history. There were a number of black people around me, and we were all silent.
It is hard to describe what was going through my mind, but I can tell you it is similar to what I feel today.
The burden of knowing that the color of my skin was the basis of such inhumane treatment — facilitating a world where you were seen as less than, as disposable, as a means to an end for entire races — lives within every black person. What’s worse, every moment since has been a 400-year fight for recognition that declares we are equals, in every sense of the word.
My skin is George Floyd’s skin. My sister’s skin is Breonna Taylor’s. My grandfather’s skin was Emmett Till’s. This fight is personal because our skin is personal. Our lives are taken in acts of cruelty, with a reprehensible lack of accountability, and a conscious blind-eye taken by white people. While I cannot speak for Black Americans, this shared history unites us. In 2020, I am scared for the black community, my community.
Over the past two weeks, I have seen a myriad of resources being shared, with white people affirming ways they are going to unlearn racism. This has rightly examined every facet of our society. I have seen movie and reading lists being shared among the white community, and I have been struck by the initiative and aggressive action.
And so, while this is a time for growth, protesting, civic participation, supporting grassroots racial justice movements, and self-reflection for many — it is a fight for survival for Black people. This might seem like an academic exercise for you, but it is deadly serious for us.
In all your unlearning, be conscious of what you are taking in. If all the black movies you are watching are about slavery and Selma, you’re missing the bigger picture. We are humans, who deserve to live full and safe lives filled with love and laughter. Have you watched that movie? We are friends, family, innovators, citizens. Have you read that book?
Our pain is not your only point of entry in this fight. Fight for our right to happiness and equal opportunity as well as our right to freedom from oppression. Celebrate black talent that has been putting across black stories for decades!
If you’re in the conversation, be in it.
- Liza
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ON OUR MINDS
Brought to you this week by Associate Account Executive Chloë Barran, who has been reflecting on the power of interdependence.
No Going Back
The visceral reaction to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s murders is fueled by a history of white supremacy that has afflicted this country since before its inception. We keep hearing that this time is different from previous moments of outrage, and it really does seem that way when we witness the militarized response to protests against police brutality and the censorship of journalists, who have been arrested, not to mention seriously injured, while covering the unrest. More positively, protests have occurred in all 50 states and across the globe, and have achieved many victories already: Minneapolis pledged to dismantle its police department, the city of New York is shifting funds from the NYPD to youth and social services, and around the world, statues memorializing colonialism and Confederate figures have been removed, by either officials or protesters. We keep hearing there’s no going back, but that’s as much a statement of the times as it is a reminder that we need to continue putting in the work in order to effect real change, long after the broken windows are replaced. Dismantling racism can feel daunting—there is so much to do. But through a spirit of interdependence, we can put community first and embrace intersectionality in causes. It’s Pride Month after all, and Stonewall was a riot.
Replacing the Old Guard
America’s systemic racism has been pushed into the spotlight. Amid cries that “silence is violence,” brands are expected to respond to the moment, and quickly. Some organizations are lauded for their directness (see Ben & Jerry’s brilliant takedown of white supremacy), while others are ridiculed for their clumsy or hypocritical statements. But as the corporate world is beginning to realize, getting the words right is the easy part, and actions are where things really count. From the oft-criticized fashion industry to left-leaning media, nobody is immune from call-out culture, where brands are publicly skewered for empty virtue-signaling. All companies, including McPherson Strategies, need to examine areas where implicit bias is baked into their business structure and make meaningful changes (our team looks forward to meeting with Christina Blacken next week for an unconscious bias training). There’s reason to be optimistic: brands like Glossier and Nike have set a high bar for meaningful impact, and even institutions with reputations for putting profit before purpose seem to be changing their tune. After an initial statement came under fire for its ambiguity, the NFL has acknowledged the organization was wrong for not listening to players who protested police brutality by kneeling (but have yet to rehire Colin Kaepernick). The co-founder of Reddit, a platform criticized for not doing enough to prevent hate speech, is resigning from the board and requesting to be replaced by a Black candidate. Only time will tell if these responses will be substantiated, but we’re cautiously optimistic to see brands held accountable during this harsh but necessary period of self-examination and turnover.
Coronavirus & Corporate Responsibility
Read our previous coverage, and check out upcoming McPherson Memo Live chats here.
Amid weeks of civil unrest, cities across the country are entering the early phases of reopening for business. But COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many states, and much is still unknown about the nature of the virus, begging the question: “What health and safety responsibilities do businesses have to their patrons?” Regulations vary enormously, with some allowing for inside dining and others just now permitting curbside pickup. There are cities where you can be fined for not wearing a mask, and cities where hardly anyone covers up. The virus also remains a highly politicized issue, adding another layer to the discrepancies in regulation, and as a result, businesses must make their own decisions on when and how to reopen, weighing exactly how much risk is acceptable. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, agility is essential: many companies have already shown remarkable flexibility in pivoting, and a philosophy of creativity and innovation is almost a matter of survival.
ON OUR RADAR
Support:
- Black people account for 15% of the American population. This petition calls on major retailers to stock 15% of their shelf space with products from Black-owned businesses (Sephora just signed).
- Search for Black-owned businesses to support using Official Black Wall Street’s directory.
- Step up and support initiatives that benefit Black communities with this list of Black-led nonprofits compiled by Christina Lewis of All Star Code.
- Hiring for a position in the film space? Consider this database from Brown Girls Doc Mafia of women of color available for production this summer.
Follow:
- Do your Instagram and Twitter feeds need more activism? Here are some members of the Black community doing important work in the space.
- On Wednesday, 92 women participated in #ShareTheMicNow, a takeover campaign to amplify Black voices through the Instagram platforms of white influencers. See all participants here and support the voices that often go unheard.
Listen:
- Professor Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist, spoke with Brené Brown, America’s therapist, on how to recognize and combat racist thoughts and actions.
- Code Switch published a compilation of episodes for a crash course on race and policing.
- Senior editor at Fortune and recent "McPherson Memo Live" guest Ellen McGirt discussed how companies can address concerns around race and equality with leaders in the space.
- A testament to the power of word and music in politics, this Revolution Playlist from writer and academic Rachel Cargle combines music and spoken word from Black artists.
Read:
- Go beyond the black square. Here are the 10 commitments companies should make to combat white supremacy in the workplace.
- A Black journalist responds to the promise that “things will be different this time.”
- Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar reflects on the unrest in Minneapolis and what it will take for real systemic change to occur.
- Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race, explains the dangers of performative activism and what people can do to amplify Black voices.
- Professor Keisha Blain of the University of Pittsburgh honors the Black women who paved the way for today’s activist movements.
- Comedian Pat Williams offers a darkly humorous portrait of growing up during the crack epidemic in her memoir Rabbit.
- The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has published a Black Liberation Reading List in response to calls for justice for Black lives.
Watch:
- Film has the power to go beyond statistics and theory. This roundup of movies offers a window into the history of race in America.
- Oprah hosted a town hall this week with Black thought leaders, activists and artists to discuss systemic racism and the current state of America.
- You can view free documentary films on America’s current and historical civil rights struggles on PBS’ website.
Go:
- Join Susan, along with feminist activist, writer, and speaker Jamia Wilson and founder and editor-in-chief of What We Seee, Misan Harriman, for a discussion of the importance of speaking up and what actions we can take on a societal level to achieve equality. Hosted by Positive Luxury on June 15th and moderated by Luxury Editor of 1843 Magazine/The Economist Melanie Grant and co-founder and CEO of Positive Luxury Diana Verde Nieto.
Apply:
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