Psst-Hey You, I Have a Secret to Share

This is not just another post, or maybe you just might think and feel it is. So I apologize that your perception is skewed. For those who are not familiar, over the last two decades I have focused my energy and drive to address, build and actionize solutions to address diversity and equity in workplaces, specifically in a space that I respect and love- the commercial real estate and development industry. I am a person who created a micro-company that is doing big things- that's a story for another post. I do preface, this post requires you to sit back and read (or listen), it is a bit lengthy as I have a secret to share...

For those who do not know me, it may appear that I am jumping on the bandwagon (I am not, google me, better yet ask me directly) that is sweeping North American society, yes the evil that breathes in the core fabric of the USA and Canada. Its more than hatred, discrimination, prejudice, bigotry; it is steeped in the injustice that is coated in inequities of workplaces and society. It is the hidden secret that I would like to share with you. But hey, its a secret and yes, we are told not to share secrets. So I ask you for your permission to share but no need to forgive me as I am doing this with conscious intentions. Okay so here it is, the secret:

...Anti-Black Racism and Racism. Yes, it is the thing that mainstream and the default North American workplaces and societies choose NOT to discuss: Race and Colour (for my USA peeps- Color).

Yes, the recent visible events that are brutalizing Black families across North America is not only unacceptable and shocking for most but in my humble perspective IS beyond disgusting and vile. I choose to continue to use my voice and platform to say it VERY loud and proud BLACK LIVES MATTER and this injustice must stop.

So, I waited and watched to see if any leaders or associations in the industry that I respect and love would finally step up, to put it bluntly, what Rhianna stated in her recent award acceptance speech clearly said: PULL UP.

Guess what? I heard crickets in Russia! SO, as an instigator for progressive change who strongly believes the "Call Out" culture is counter-productive (another blog for another time), I decided to send a direct email to the leaders of the Canadian commercial real estate and development (CRED) industry and share my perspectives.

Before I share my email letter, I wanted to share a lil' intel with you, for those who are not aware of the CRED industry, it is about communities, where companies/leaders influence and control how we live, work, learn, play and chill. It is an industry that has a lot of influence to instigate change. AND the people are all so cool, smart, driven and I strongly believe good peeps and work with their heart and minds.

Okay, back to my secret. The Elephant in the room: Race and Colour (Color) and my email. Without any further delay here is the email I sent:

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Good Afternoon,

I want to be very direct with you. I hope you are not okay with what is happening in our workplaces and society. The events over the last few weeks have caused my head and my heart great pain. Witnessing (again) the brutal killings of Black, Brown and Indigenous people in the USA and Canada is beyond disgusting and is unacceptable. Seeing, hearing and experiencing both overt and covert racism in the workplace is mind-blowing.

I ask you, as a leader in the commercial real estate and development space, to do something that will evolve our systems. I call upon you to get uncomfortable and confront the inequities that exist and continue to permeate in our workplaces and society. For far too long, Black and Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) continue to feel the hardships of prejudice, bigotry and discrimination in their daily lives. The emotional tax that affects members of BIPOC communities is unfair and must stop. This weight and pain on our shoulders should never be tolerated by anyone.

Over the past two decades, I have worked with many of you to help build teams and workplace cultures that work for everyone. I am grateful for these opportunities and having the access to help evolve the narrative in our industry. However, we need and must do more. The inequities that continue to thrive in workplaces are cancerous, and not just to BIPOC employees but White employees also. The impacts are felt throughout organizations. There are imbalances and archaic processes that continuously, whether consciously or unconsciously, marginalize and underserve many BIPOC employees, to the detriment of company cultures, a sense of belonging of all employees, and innovation as a whole. It is clearly evident in talent management practices, leadership teams, around boardrooms, and decision-making tables.

I understand that your intentions are good - you want all your employees to thrive, be happy and succeed. However, you must do more. It is about going well beyond checkbox approaches, affirmative action, pledges, and writing cheques. It is about tapping into your privilege as a leader, your accessibility and more importantly, your humanity, and evolve your workplaces. The inequities are not the responsibility of human resources functions, but rather are the primary function of leadership. It is about sustained action toward building the future, led by you.

I ask you these questions:

Examine your social and economic circles: Are they diverse? Outside of your exploration into specific cultural activities, are your social circles diverse? Do you engage with people who do not look like you in all facets of your life?

For the workplaces you created and lead: Do you have effective processes to measure the data of your employees around race and ethnicity? Do you have programs and services to attract, retain, advance and promote a culture of inclusion that embraces the intersectionality of diversity?

Do you deeply care about your businesses and the industry? Do you want to learn how to embrace innovation and not just as a word but an action?

Have you confronted your inner biases, assumptions, prejudice, and stereotypes? Do you understand the impact of them in your workplaces?

Having formal conversation around race and ethnicity: Have you conducted any such conversations with your employees?

The time is now. We must get to work on addressing pressing issues. Despite the negative impact of COVID-19 on most businesses and our industry, I strongly believe we have a unique window of opportunity to evolve our workplaces – as it is up to us to define what a new normal can truly be. I beg of you to own your responsibility as a leader in the workplace to do something lasting and meaningful, driving proper actions that are not just checkbox responses. I know one thing for sure: many do not know where to begin. The first step is to own any naivety and ignorance in combating systematic racism. You cannot just google it. The solutions towards action come from more than passive research, or building walls, or relying on your human resources teams, or plainly ignoring them in hopes this too goes away. We must actively build toward action and solutions.

I ask you, as your leadership is needed:

Will you Stand Up, Show Up and Build Action to combat systematic racism?

Will you help get us there?

Please do respond to me if you are interested in taking the first step and I will send you further information in the coming days. In gratitude. Chandran 

I sent my email to 35 leaders. Guess what (again)? Within an hour, a leader who I truly respect and admire (for his tenacity to lead with dignity and smarts) who probably has one of the largest megaphones in North America responded to me and asked what he can do to help. "He" being a seasoned, white, privileged, highly educated MAN asked. I highlight this because he recognized that something MUST be done, as the circular conversations are inadequate and frankly because he is a man of action. My respect temperature gauge went off the chain (google it if you aren't sure what that means).

Within the next few days, a few more responded and commenced sharing posts on their social media platforms. Others, I knew were thinking and pondering. So I personalized another email because I knew they care, just like me and were stuck in their thoughts, as white, privileged men and women and probably (yes my assumption and I own it) felt uncomfortable and powerless. I knew I had to continue to push, (if you don't know me, I push boundaries) to ask as my purpose is bigger than me.

I share my secret with you because I WANT YOU to know that you too have the power to ask and do something meaningful with true purpose for your workplaces. YOU have a voice to continue to instigate progressive change. Change that will impact what we all want AND need: workplaces that challenge us (for the better), workplaces that embrace our value-adds, workplaces where we belong, workplaces that respect us, workplaces that deconstruct and eradicate the ONE thing that keeps us from truly connecting: Anti-Black Racism and Racism.

NOW my ask: please share my message that I share with you. You have permission to use my words or change my words (BUT not the meaning of my words and actions) to activate your own words towards action. I beg you to do something and no longer sit on the sidelines, remain silent or fester with unwanted sadness. This request is NOT just for you to post a social media perspective but to move and challenge your leaders (and you) to actionize meaningful change that matters. This is NOT a charity or hand-out request, so please do not get it twisted. It is an ask and request to STEP UP. STAND UP*.SHOW UP. ACTION UP.

This time around, TIME IS TRULY UP. So I leave you with one more request/ask: PLEASE do reach out to me if you need any direction and/or you would like to get involved, even if you are not from the commercial real estate and development industry. I am here.

I am not here to debate with you but to CHALLENGE you. But, hey if you want a debate connect, we can dialogue.

Remember, this (and don't get it twisted about Dr. King, do your research https://thekingcenter.org/ ):

I remain in gratitude, PEACE,

Chandran

To Learn more about us: www.matrix360.ca

To Learn more about what the CRED industry is doing: www.equitymatters.ca

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