The importance of the Black Lives Matter movement

The Black Lives Matter movement has once again brought to light the injustices felt by many.  As a first generation, British Indian I always understood there was a hierarchy of status and entitlement that existed but I learnt to put it to the back of my mind and as they say, ‘crack on’ with life.

Throughout my childhood I heard my parents talk to each other about the injustices they faced in their work place. Like many a story told by immigrants, they came into this country with English as their second language and they were able to communicate well and with confidence. They were both hard-workers, loyal servants to their organizations but they never ever really got past a certain point in their career. The point they did reach was because they had British-English advocates at work that supported them and saw the unfairness my parents had experienced. 

Just before I started my first job, my dad sat me down and shared a story that was told to him. My dad had a Scottish mentor who was a positive influence on his life - Mr. Jim Duffy. Mr. Duffy said ‘Raj, you will have to work twice as hard as anyone else because of the colour of your skin – just remember that’. And when dad told me the story with the aim of preparing me for real life, I argued with him. I had the hope of a young person who believed life was fair. 

I am now 25 years into working and I spent my life looking for every other reason to believe that the injustices I faced at work were not related to my race but for every other reason; my education, my capability, my working class background, you name it, I thought it but I accepted every reason but race. And why? Because I didn’t want to be known as someone who had a ‘chip on their shoulder’. BLM has opened up a conversation highlighting the injustices of race discrimination and how we have quietened ourselves to fit into work.  We 'shut up and put up' because we were never made to feel like we belonged. 

Here are a few example statements of things that have been said to me or I have heard whilst at work: 

• ‘I see Rachna is recruiting all her cousins’ (I wasn’t the hiring manager, I just facilitated the process)
• ‘Stop being a victim’ – (Advice from a HR colleague following a false allegation made against ME by an vindictive colleague (vindictive colleague was found to be malicious but I was told to stop being the victim) 
• ‘I just don’t understand you’ (A line manager whose entire network looked and sounded like her) 
• ‘You just don’t fit in ’ and ‘Know your place’ 
• ‘If it wasn’t for us Brits you wouldn’t have anything’ (said by a British English HR person, in an open meeting whilst working in Qatar)
• ‘Well if all terrorists are brown, that’s is who we should be looking for’ (Said within earshot whilst I was at my desk working post 7/7)
• And I truly believe that if I changed my name to Rachel Kale, I may have found looking for a job a lot easier instead of the 1,000 plus applications I've made over the last 2 years.

But I 'shut up and put up' so I wasn’t accused of ‘having a chip on my shoulder’

And so the list goes on….6 examples…imagine that  multiplied over 25 years of working (and that is just working life – there are volumes of examples related to other experiences). 

If organisations really care about the BLM movement, they won’t just post sentimental, meaningless statements on Linkedin. Businesses will speak to the people who have left or been forced out of organizations; do analysis on their demographics – who gets left behind, who stays, who gets promoted, who gets a FTC and who doesn’t. The evidence is there for the taking.  Companies that care will take a moment to listen and hear someone when they say ‘I am experiencing an injustice at work’. Poorly managed HR investigations, falsely protecting the herd and brand, failure to listen to those who are trying to their voice heard is an injustice that is being facilitated and reinforced. If a company fails to address these issues, they too are complicit in contributing to societal hate.   

If organizations truly cared about people and humanity they simply need to listen. 

Friends who have mocked the BLM movement are no longer friends. They lack a compassion and understanding that makes me not want to know them.  I no longer want to tolerate these injustices. And I apply that same sentiment for my future role; I want to work for an organisation that truly wants to make a difference.

Of the friends in my network who are white (various nationalities), a few have contacted me to directly acknowledge their privilege and how it has helped them get ahead in life. They have asked me to help educate them. I am in no place to educate, but I now feel I can talk about my experiences with those who are willing to listen without being accused of having a chip on my shoulder.