Unraveling Bigotry in America

From the Desk of Kathleen Lucente

The social injustice pot has hit a boiling point in our country, and it's deplorable that it's taken this long with a string of unnecessary deaths behind it. America has been willing to turn a blind eye for so long to so much bigotry. There is tremendous guilt as a country as we consider the Black Lives Matter movement. Just think of the words! 

Unraveling bigotry feels overwhelming and yet an effort well worth every minute, day, week, month, year, and years spent. It's a heavy lift, but if we work together, we can and will make a dent in it. That's right a dent -- because change doesn't happen overnight.

During the last few weeks, I have focused my time helping CEOs get their own authentic Black Lives Matter messaging out to their employees. I've helped these CEOs make it possible for their employees to feel safe in talking about their concerns, and open up about their hopes for diversity and inclusion to be woven into company cultures proactively. It's been an enriching process to have executives be vulnerable about the fear of saying the wrong thing or having concern that they aren't doing enough to support their words. Eyes are opening in more ways than one. Company leaders are recognizing that employees are looking to them to set the tone and to engage them in the discussion and steps for change.

At my PR agency, my team has been listening, reading, talking together, and trying to determine our role as individuals and as a company to break down the barriers and biases that allow bigotry to thrive. We've also recognized the incredible role of investigative reporters who have shined a light on injustices that needed our attention. Awareness, self-reflection, the willingness to speak up and the desire to be open to change is where we need to get our collective mindset. We all have biases ingrained in us and exploring these and unearthing the false information that has allowed these to fester matters.

No matter what ethnicity, skin color, or part of the world we are from -- we are all part of the human race. Let's move forward together.

Signed with Love and Solidarity,

Kathleen