DEI Practitioners: The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master’s House

Audre Lorde is an acclaimed writer whose work deserves continuous examination. Arguably, one of Lorde’s most thought-provoking?lines?was “the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” There are several different interpretations of Lorde’s quote. This article is an analysis and exploration of the notable quote and how it manifests within the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) space today. Lorde invites us to think about whether it is possible to eliminate a problem using the same instruments that were designed to create the problem. A good example to conceptualize this quote: many people believe in and support the idea of?Black capitalism. Through Black capitalism, there is sometimes a notion that Black people can transcend racist systems and achieve liberation through the accumulation of wealth. And while resources play a vital role in the amount of power and privilege an individual holds, wealth accumulation will not eliminate or dismantle oppressive?systems. Capitalism is?defined?as “an economic system in which private individuals or businesses own capital goods.” Capitalism requires us to exploit the labor of others in order to generate a profit. Professor and scholar Dr. Ibram X. Kendi?described?racism and capitalism as conjoined twins. One cannot be anti-racist without also being anti-capitalist, activist Angela Davis explains in a 2020?interview. The idea that capitalism, which is a tool of the master, could be used by the oppressed to become liberated is mistaken. Within the DEI space, it is imperative to interrogate tools of the master. Racism, white-centered norms, the hoarding of power, and respectability politics are all instruments of the master and foundational values upon which most modern workplaces were founded on. We must also recognize the ways in which those from marginalized backgrounds wield the master’s tools within the DEI space. These same tools won’t get us closer to justice or liberation.

Racism and white-centering show up often within the DEI space. Aside from the fact that white-led DEI companies receive more?resources?than their counterparts, white DEI practitioners and anti-racism educators are often seen as more credible than those with lived experiences of harm. Centering the needs, feelings, and desires of white people in anti-racism efforts will never dismantle the master’s house. DEI practitioners must assess the ways that?whiteness is centered?within the DEI space. When hired by a company for consulting work, are the needs of white leaders being prioritized over the desires of marginalized employees? When conducting surveys and collecting data on the culture of inclusion and belonging, is the data from non-white populations being disaggregated to analyze and understand specific trends? Are you being intentional about including images in your speaker slide deck of people from underrepresented populations? The process of divorcing oneself from whiteness will be lifelong—especially for those of us who have been socialized into white-dominant cultures.

Respectability politics?and the hoarding of power are also tools of the master that are used by DEI practitioners. For centuries, non-white communities have had to adhere to Eurocentric and white standards and norms, from the way one speaks to the way one’s?hair is worn. The default is always whiteness. We must ask ourselves: Are we expecting minoritized individuals to adhere to these biased workplace practices via our loyalty to respectability politics? We must also consider that those from marginalized backgrounds often?internalize?the oppression they experience; this can show up in numerous ways for DEI practitioners. It is important to remember that every employee is deserving of respect. Are employees being treated with honor and dignity or is our treatment contingent on how they speak, act, and dress? Are employees encouraged to show up as their authentic selves because they see it modeled through you? DEI practitioners must constantly be pushing up against the status quo and understand the ways that workplace policies and practices have continued marginalization.

Some DEI practitioners?fail?because they are not given the tools needed to succeed. But there must be conversation about the DEI practitioners whose desire for money, power, and prestige supersedes the need to prioritize, center and liberate the most marginalized. Within organizations and institutions, DEI practitioners that work internally must recognize the empty lure of status. It’s easy to become intoxicated by the fancy titles, prestige, and power that accompany many managerial and executive-level DEI positions. But power, specifically the hoarding of it, and respectability politics will never be tools that dismantle the master’s house.

When developing interventions, solutions and strategies to remedy oppressive workplaces, there must be consideration for what Audre Lorde?described?as “that piece of the oppressor, which is planted deep within each of us.” What pieces of the oppressor are buried deep within us and how does it show up within our DEI work? As DEI practitioners, how can we destroy the master’s tools? What tools already exist that can be used to dismantle the master’s house? How do we design new tools that can aid us in the quest for liberation? These are important questions that must continuously be considered.

This article was originally published in July of 2022 in Forbes.

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