In relation to antiracist, black lives matter rallies across the world! For the black colleagues in your teams!

Someone asked what to tell their colleagues who seem angry, not productive during this period. Remember Charlie Hebdo bombing? The next day there little or no work done why? It was in France not in Québec? Collective grief that’s why, we all felt it, we all mourned with France as we should whenever lives are lost as well as whenever we notice oppression.

 This is the same for your black colleagues, except for most it is a re-traumatising because it keeps happening.

In Québec most of our black community members are of Haitian origin, and almost all of them have families and relatives in the USA, so most of your colleagues are not okay, and productivity might be affected. Your pain is real, your grief is valid, and your confusion is understandable.

 For our black friends here are some recommendation:

·        Talk to a therapist, call your employee health program, seek someone who is well versed in trauma therapy (talk it out, you are really not alone, your mental health needs attending to)

·        unplug or limit the amount of news you consume, mute your social media for a while

·        move your body, run, walk, dance, eat right and mind your sleep

·        Call your friends, those that don’t minimise or trivialise your experience, those who have done their antiracist work. Exchange pain, grief, hurt and anger but also hopes and dreams.

At some point workplaces will be so inclusive that you will not have to do this alone, that people will understand, until then you have survival and thriving at work to do, take care of yourselves.

P.S. Linkedin is professional, not personal nor political. It is forthose of you who have the privilege of being part of the majority. For minorities our skin color doesn't allow separation, all three are intertwined all the time and in all spaces we occupy.

 #blacklivesmatter #diversity #mentalhealth, #selfcare, #antiracist, #inclusion