Action Step #27. Anti-Up

Anti-Up!

We have all heard the phase, but I want you to think about it in a new context. I don’t think many realize that is the mentality you must have when it comes to race, racism and the history of where you work. I bet you thought I was going to say “the history of the U.S.” At this point, you should have already been learning about that. What I believe is there is a huge opportunity to learn about the history of your workplace and how different groups have been treated. I believe it extends the chance to course correct problems that have impacted Black talent and diverse talent financially, emotionally, physically and mentally. The Equity Source is speaking on this topic because I believe you, we and I can change it. ?

Of my many differentiated approaches I take in my work, one of them I like the most is the equity audit because it gives reveals the truth about what is happening in any school, company or nonprofit. My equity audits focus on people data and numbers data. With this in mind, I move to design action steps aligned to the need.

This leads me to anti-Up.

Anti-Up is my created mental model that amplifies the need for:

• anti-Black racism
• anti-Hispanic/Latino racism
• anti-Native American/Indigenous racism
• anti-Asian racism (replace with the geographic representation)

Frankly, I do not believe change cannot happen in any space unless every single person in the building can anti-Up. And since people are not prone to engage in discourse about race and racism, there are other routes toward equity. So, for these folx who don’t want to engage in race talks, I know you do want to figure out how to make your workplace better than 2020.

Today I will use the life cycle of an employee. For the purposes of the next section I will use the word “us or we” to refer to myself and historically excluded diverse talent and intersections.

Phase 0: Auditing: Audits and inspections must be driven in a way that reveals inequity for each group and drives action planning. Do you have an independent party auditing each phase employee’s life cycle? Anti-Up.

Phase 1: Attracting: First, audit the ways you attract us. In what ways can you embed antiracist perspectives and practices in the JD? Second, anti-up and reconsider ways to attract us. show evidence from leaders speaking about antiracist practices made since 2020.

Phase 2: Sourcing: First, audit the sourcing partnerships. Why do you choose the same? In what ways can you add new partnerships? Second, anti-Up and introduce new partnerships for sourcing to remove affinity bias.

Phase 3: Interviewing: First, audit the interview practices. Have the people and practices been vetted in favor of anti-racism? Is there a difference between the phone screen questions and the interview? Second, anti-Up and we must be on the hiring committee. All of us not just that 1.

Phase 4: Onboarding: First, audit the onboarding plan. Does the plan feature antiracism or just DEIB? Second, anti-Up and design a better onboarding plan with action steps. I also think welcome packages are a nice touch.

Phase 5: Extending Offers: First, audit the salary offer and benefits. What is the history of your space in this phase? Can you guarantee that the salaries of women of color in the same role as men are the same? Second, anti-Up and revamp the process with us in mind. Oh, and backpay.

Phase 6: Hiring and Firing: First, audit both processes. Which levels of racism have been at play for us that you can interrupt? Are you hiring us for the top roles or lower roles? What is the rate of unregretted attrition of us versus other groups? Second, anti-Up and design the hiring process with us and with us in mind so we don’t have to quit.

Phase 7: Differentiated developing: First, audit the professional development plans. How can you anti up so that certain groups getting executive coaching versus us? Second, anti-Up and collaborate in a differentiated process for development.

Phase 8: 2x2 Race Mentoring: First, audit the mentorship process. Is there an opportunity for us to mentor around our experiences? Is there an opportunity for you to learn and grow from us? Of course! Second, anti-Up and start Race Mentorship cycles with 2 mentors and 2 mentees in the same session for psychological safety.

Phase 9: Sponsoring: First, audit your data to determine who could serve as sponsors and us. How can this antiracist practice remove barriers toward equity? Second, anti-Up and start a sponsorship program. I did.

Phase 10: Promoting: First, audit the promotion process. Is the promotion free and clear or racism and bias? How many of us made it on the agenda? Second, anti-Up and engage in progress monitoring and action planning.

I know you are wondering how in the heck can we do all of this. You take it piece by piece.

Connection Question: How did this newsletter help you think differently this week?

Action Step: Anti-Up

I am LaTonya Davis, CEO and founder of TonyaDavis.com. I enjoy speaking, leading workshops and the power of the pen to change perspectives, practices and policies toward Equity at Work and Equity in Schools. Share this newsletter, reach out and refer.