Do Your Black Colleagues Feel Safe?

I had a team video call this morning. I didn't want to be on it as I am the only black person on our team of 7. I almost took the day off because I was at a place where I was torn between I don't want to talk about it and I will be pissed if we act like nothing is going on. Some of my teammates are friends with me on social media so they are quite aware of my beliefs. I have a general understanding of their political beliefs but as we saw with Amy Cooper, the way you vote may not align with your actions. And in all honesty, politics don't matter in this situation because it is not a political issue, it is an issue of humanity. Regardless of all that, I haven't made any negative assumptions about them as I believe they are good people with big hearts but that doesn't keep me from my "me against the world" mindset right now.

So we had our meeting and I was present but silent...ready for it to end. But as we wrapped up one of my teammates said, "I want to talk about something non-work related." Some thought it was going to be a funny story or something light but I know this person well and I knew EXACTLY what she was going to say. In that moment, my team poured love into me that I didn't realize I needed. They gave reassurance that, despite the difference in our skin colors, I have genuine allies who stand beside, hear me, and see me. They reminded me that we are more than colleagues but we are also a family who loves one another. They provided a space where I could express to them that I'm not okay and that I'm hurting. So we talked, expressed our feelings, and cried together this morning. Following the meeting they reached out to me individually and I've had a few other colleagues outside of my team do the same. But this dialogue and moment of transparency gave me the push I needed to press through the day.

I say all this to say that your black colleagues are not okay. We need to know that you see us for who we are and feel our pain. Although I had assumptions of my team's support, hearing their words meant so much more. It has drawn me closer to them and made me feel safe in my present environment. As a black person in America, safety is a luxury that we are not always afforded which made this feeling mean that much more. Ask yourself: what is my silence telling those around me? How am I making people I say I care about feel safe, loved, and appreciated? #GeorgeFloyd #BreonnaTaylor #AhmaudArbery #BlackLivesMatter