Action Step #15: Rethink who your privilege helps or hurts

Are you proactive or reactive?

My modus operandi is to shift leaders, employees, and educators to think about root causes of issues in a proactive manner so we don't have to be reactionary all the time.

Back in the day I told my law school prof, "People who make the laws don't look like me." So here I am reading the Roe v. Wade decision and I got to thinking about some things.

First...the holding of the Supreme Court stated, "The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives." Essentially, this means states can make their own rules on abortion, ban the procedure, reinforce old laws, enact restrictions or make it a felony.

This happened because some groups are valued more than others.

Then I thought...Why is it that people are louder on this issue for women than they are for Black Americans? How is it possible that people are starting advocacy groups expressing outrage over this decision and have yet to express outrage over racism in the space you go to everyday? Why is allyship so selective?

This happened because some groups are more valued than mine.

Second, who comprises the Court is made by those who we elect:

??Who voted to overturn: 2 Bush appointees-Justice Thomas and Alito and 3 Trump appointees-Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett

??Who voted to uphold: 2 Obama appointees-Sotomayor, Kagan, 1 Clinton appointee-Justice Breyer, and 1 W. Bush appointee-Chief Justice Roberts

Very telling was the dissent who wrote in part, "...reverses course today for one reason and one reason only: because the composition of this Court has changed."

Do you remember which Presidential candidate you voted for who made these appointments? Let's take Justice Barrett. She is a White woman from Harvard and her rulings did not positively impact historically excluded folx. In the case of?Torry, et al v City of Chicago, et al , she concluded that officers were reasonable in stopping and harassing a group of Black men even though there was absolutely no evidence that they had committed a crime. In Roe v. Wade, she voted with the majority. Did you say anything about her confirmation? Let me try a more recent example. Did you call and email your Senator during the confirmation hearings like I did for Justice Jackson? My post was read by 7,500 to get Justice Jackson on the Court because I knew the impact. My call was not just about her getting on the court, but about the treatment this Black woman endured from White folx in the room. I wonder how many of you allied for her.

Sometimes you don't see how privilege helps or hurts others until it hurts you. Let's shift this mindset.

• If you had not thought about what I am bringing to light today, then start today with changing your perspective.
• If you posted about women's rights, but have yet to equally post about BlackLivesMatter or Black women's inequity, then start today with changing your practices.
• If you have focused on solely women getting advanced at work and missed opportunities to work with decisionmakers to get historically excluded candidates on your team, then start changing recruiting and retention policies.
• If you voted for the people currently in your state, cities and counties who will make that next decision on abortion, antiracism, and even curriculum in schools who you now realize are not the best choice, be ready to castes a better vote for better policies the next time.
• If you identify as a White woman trying to figure out how to use your voice, your privilege and your talent to get and support Black women in your space,?then you can start today.

Honesty, 1619 to 2022 in America never should have happened. In order for change to happen, we must all use privilege to interrupt racism, sexism and the intersection of both for Blacks, Latinos, Hispanics, Native American, Indigenous, and women in all systems locally, nationally and globally.

Connection Question: Was your advocacy for women the same as it was for Black people?

?Action Step: Rethink who your privilege helps or hurts

The Equity Source?is the space that turns likes into action and viewers into doers.?I am LaTonya Davis, CEO of TonyaDavis.com and I enjoy the power of the pen, speaking, workshops and now coaching. Reach out at [email protected]. Thanks!