By Kathy Coffey and Ryan Crowther / For The Herald
It was fewer than 60 days ago. George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was pinned down by three Minneapolis police officers and killed. Footage of a police officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes, captured by attentive onlookers with cell phones and on security cameras in the area, sparked outrage and renewed demands for police reform across this nation.
Since Floyd’s murder, the killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmad Arbery, Tony McDade, and countless others have further demonstrated that Blacks are being disproportionately killed. Simply put, it’s not safe to be Black in America.
People of all generations have hit the streets with many protests led by youths and young activists of color. This has become the largest civil rights movement of our time.
Since these protests started, officers have been fired and charged. Police reform has been proposed by cities and at the national level, banning chokeholds, forcing officers to use body cameras, and changing de-escalation tactics. Statues tied to slavery and the failed Confederacy are toppling. Confederate flags have been banned in certain U.S. military institutions and sports organizations. Business leaders associated with racist acts are resigning and being replaced. These changes are long overdue and are not nearly enough.
We have also been forced to face hard questions. How are we three generations from the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and still watching Black Americans experience this right here in America? How is it possible that we are just now, in 2020, seeing these changes? The answers lie in our very own institutions at every level and the society on which they were built.
As author and historian Ibram X. Kendi explains in a TED Talk, there is no such thing as “not racist.” We are either racist or anti-racist. In each moment, one or the other. We either support policies that lead to injustice and inequity, or we are supporting policies that are leading to justice and equality.
Scott Woods shares a similar sentiment when he wrote: “The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people’s expense, whether whites know/like it or not.”
The heartbeat of racism is denial. Until we can address the white supremacy at the core of our institutions, and how that lives on in each of us, racism will win. It is this calling that forces us to look inward and begin a journey toward anti-racism and racial equity, in our systems, our organizations and in ourselves.
During the past six years, Leadership Snohomish County (LSC) has recognized that it’s impossible to responsibly develop leaders for today’s world without incorporating racial equity into our programs.
LSC has offered leadership programs that help participants grow their network, build purpose, and grow commitment to civic engagement and community stewardship for more than 20 years. We now have more than 900 alumni, most of whom are still here in Snohomish County.
Given that history, we’ve had to learn hard lessons and engage in many difficult conversations. We know that racial equity and anti-racism must be incorporated into the fabric of our own organization before we can effectively support anyone else in their journey and leadership. Board members have committed to an annual anti-racism training, board training and made individual personal commitments. LSC was founded by and has been led by white people. Whiteness is in our DNA. We are working to shift that in ways that are messy, humbling and intense. We are committed to creating accountability. One step we are taking is to make sure that the organization is working with Black, indigenous and people of color as facilitators and leaders.
A full day is devoted to racial equity in LSC’s two Signature Class cohorts and Young Professional cohort. In May, LSC launched its second Leadership For Racial Equity cohort, a five-month program to build the capacity of leaders to effectively and sustainably work to drive institutional change in their organizations and institutions. And this Friday, we have our fifth annual Step Up Conference — stepupconference.org — the largest equity conference in the surrounding five states.
Step Up is a virtual conference this year, designed for participants to gain new perspectives and a deeper understanding of racial equity and social justice. Participants will leave with innovative tools to address systemic racism in their organizations and institutions, applicable across sectors. Adults and youth from all backgrounds and experiences are welcome. Workshops cover a variety of topics, including how to address institutional racism, white supremacy cultural norms, and microaggressions. Participants will also explore decolonization of education, the intersection of race and LGBTQIA, systems change, and more.
For many in the region, Step Up offers leaders a place to begin their journey. We invite you to join us on Friday, July 24, no matter where you’re at on your path. We invite you to learn and unlearn with us. Let’s build a thriving future together.
Kathy Coffey is the executive director of Leadership Snohomish County. Ryan Crowther is board chairman for LSC.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
