Black Lives Matter!

I am deeply saddened, shaken, and sickened by the death of George Floyd and the events of the past week. And I′m angry!

My condolences go to George, his family, and friends. Our hearts are saddened by your loss and our thoughts are with you.

George was killed as Minneapolis police officers had him in custody Monday. A video appeared to show one officer with a knee on Floyd’s neck as he screamed for help and that he was having trouble breathing. Floyd later died. The officer seen pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck has since been arrested and faces third-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Other officers have been fired and are currently under investigation.

Video: In Memoriam George Floyd (Source: Washington Post)

This makes very clear - although progress has been made - there still is a long journey ahead of us toward respect, compassion, integrity, diversity, and inclusion.

So Many Lives Have Been Stolen…

Michael Brown, an African American teenager was shot dead by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri in August 2014 and showed the scale of police violence against people of color in the US. George′s killing under the knee of a police officer comes at a time when the country still tries to cope with the cold-blooded shooting of a young jogger, Ahmaud Arbery, in Georgia by two white men; and after Breonna Taylor, a medical technician, was shot in March when police fired more than 20 rounds into her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky.

Michael Brown, Tony McDade, Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray… and the list goes on, and on... All evidence of long-standing problems with police racism and excessive violence. And a society who struggles coming to grips with its diversity and multi-ethnicity.

Photo: People killed by Police (source: Getty Images)

It doesn′t come as a surprise that George′s tragic death and those of other unarmed black people dying at the hands of US police have sparked protests and civil unrest across America.

Violence Is Not The Right Answer

We have to speak up. To step up. We must not accept racism or any other form of intolerance. We all have the right for a life which is worthwhile to live and being appreciated and respected.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

(Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

Photo: People with signs and masks that read "I Can't Breath" are seen during a protest in Chicago. Source: Nam Y. Huh/AP

As emotions are already running high in a country with a toll of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 people and led millions losing their jobs, unfortunately now raw anger is pouring through many communities across America as video footage of George′s last moments began circulating on social media.

Photo: Protesters jump on an overturned car near the Municipal Services Building in Philadelphia. Source: Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP

However, there is also blind violence, often not linked with its original cause. Even destroying local businesses and stores which have already been hit hard by the pandemic.

Photo: People vandalize a store during protests in Oakland, California. Source: Philip Pacheco/AP

A Way Out

We won′t be able resolving social injustice with violence. Instead it′ll take courage of every single one of us. The courage to confront with words, to argue, to challenge, to let emotions out and at the same time to control one′s anger, to talk, to listen, and to understand:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

(Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

Like one police officer did in Atlanta when he showed understanding and compassion with protesters and told them that they “Have a right to be pissed off.”

Photo: Police Officer in Atanta calming down Protesters. Source: ENews

Or, when a group of white women, arms locked, stand between Louisville Metro Police officers and black protesters.

Photo: Wome forming a peaceful Line in Louisville. Source: Tim Druck

Realizing Social Justice

This has to be the ultimate goal. According to Bell et al (2007), social justice is both a process and a goal. The goal of social justice is a society consisting of members who have full and equal participation to meet their needs. Resources are equally distributed and all members are self-determining, interdependent, safe, and secure. The process for attaining the goal of social justice, they further postulate, should be democratic, participatory, inclusive and affirming of human agency and capacities for working collaboratively to create change.

Bell explains that learning from history and historical context is crucial to comprehend how stereotypes have developed over time. As such, current debates on issues such as affirmative action or reparations, can only be understood by acknowledging for example the historical debts from slavery and segregation that have advantaged Whites as a group while keeping African Americans out of positions of power and influence. Furthermore, postmodern theories and ongoing discussions among people in various social movements, continue to challenge binary categorization such as black/white, heterosexual/homosexual, male/female, etc.

As members of human communities, our identities are fundamentally constructed in relation to others and to the cultures in which we are embedded. Oppression cannot be understood in individual terms alone, for people are privileged or oppressed on the basis of social group status. One of the most invidious mechanisms of oppression is the destruction of targeted group cultures by the advantaged group’s culture and language. In such a context, individuals and groups gain equality by becoming as much like the privileged group as possible. Belonging to a group with others who similarly identify themselves, who affirm or are committed together to a set of values, practices and meanings, is an important concept in our society.

It Takes Leadership

For good reasons, the role of leadership in relation to diversity is progressively more under scrutiny, as multiple analyses stress that diversity is related to inequity because of differences in the distribution of power and resources. Leaders need to realize that organizations change in their nature, with many more diverse and fluid ways of working. As a result, leaders are required to lead in different ways in the future by conceiving leadership of a less hegemonic and a more democratic way. Successful leadership won′t be any longer about generating followers but more about creating communities and more leaders. Leaders should abandon false notions of consensus and rather assume ongoing disagreement and discussions as a foundation bedrock of leadership. Finally, we all need to step up and become social leaders and argue for justice and equality. For the same rights of everyone!

Has The World Start to Wake Up? Finally?

Nike, last week released a new ad with a twist on its long-time slogan "Just Do It," in the wake of protests surrounding the most recent deaths of African Americans:

Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. Don't turn your back on racism. Don't accept innocent lives being taken from us. Don't make any more excuses. Don't think this doesn't affect you. Don't sit back and be silent. Don't think you can't be part of the change. Let's all be part of the change.

Video: Nike - For once, Don′t Do It

Around the world, thousands gathered to express their outrage and offered support their support to and solidarity with U.S. demonstrators and the civil rights movement.

Photo: Solidarity Protest in Londo. Source: Justin Tallis/AFP

What To Do Next!

We all have to step up, to take action, to display accountability and responsibility, and to become social activists. Within our own context. We have to speak out against social injustice and racism. We must never tolerate or accept it. Never! And nowhere in the world!

And there are some very pragmatic actions you can take immediately. Right now:

?   Get more info about global racism at UNESCO.

?   Support The “Justice for George Floyd” petition on Change.org.

?   Donate to Black Lives Matter

?   Support the National Police Accountability Project: This group, a project of the National Lawyers Guild, helps people find legal counsel.

?   Support Campaign Zero, a police reform group that has been working on policy solutions.

As former U.S. president Barack Obama said in a statement some days ago:

This shouldn’t be normal in 2020 in America.

It shouldn′t be normal nowhere in the world. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

At the same time, more fundamental changes are required to take place in our society to successfully overcome racism, discrimination, and other forms of intolerance. We need to challenge with constructive dialogues, with uncomfortable discussions, with persistency, and by creating and implementing actions and reforms that generate positive impact on our societal set up and individual mindsets.

Racism is by far not only an America phenomenon. Many regions and countries have been experiencing it for centuries. Time has come to challenge and stop it. Now!

And very importantly, to ultimately succeed, we must express our dissatisfaction and disagreement in a peaceful way. Violence is not the answer.

Black lives matter! Let′s speak and step up. Together. Peacefully!

Kind regards,

Andreas von der Heydt

********************************

Andreas von der Heydt is Director of Talent Acquisition & Recruiting at Amazon. Before he held various senior management positions at Amazon and L'Oréal. He's a leadership expert as well as a management and personal growth coach. Andreas worked and lived in Europe, Australia, the U.S. and Asia. Currently he lives with his wife and daughters in Seattle, USA. Andreas enjoys blogging as a private person here on LinkedIn about various exciting topics. His latest book is about what makes a future leader. All statements made, opinions expressed, etc. in his articles only reflect his personal opinion.

Click 'Follow' if you would like to hear more from Andreas in the future. Feel free to also connect via Twitter or Slideshare.

Other recent and popular articles by Andreas:

Coaching For Community - We are stepping up to help!

Leadership and Social Justice

Leadership in Times of Crisis – When Everyone Needs To Step Up!

photo credit: Josie Desmarais

#GeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter #BlackLivesMatter #Justice #Racism #CSR #SocialResponsibility #Icantbreathe #equality #life #opportunities #minneapolis