White Supremacy in the Workplace
UPDATE 10/15/2021: After reading, listening, and learning more about this subject since April of ‘21, I would argue that what we are really talking about is supremacy culture that’s not just related to racism, but also sexism, ableism, gender binarism, ageism, etc. I left the following article as I wrote it in April 2021. CLICK HERE to read a more recent IG post I wrote on the subject.
Recently, I made a Reel (short video clip) on Instagram called “White Supremacy in Your Workplace?” that was inspired by an article written by Sharonne Navas titled, “Your Office has White Supremacy Culture.”
In Sharonne’s article she references some of the ways that white supremacy shows up in our workplaces as described by Tema Okun in her work “White Supremacy Culture” which outlines the characteristics of supremacy culture, how it shows up in our workplaces, and suggested antidotes (Also check out an expansion on this work, White Supremacy Culture in Organizations.)
From that list, the following characteristics of white supremacy in the workplace were referenced in the video:
Perfectionism
Little appreciation expressed
Power hoarding
Sense of urgency
Only one right way
There is so much more that needs to be said about white supremacy in the workplace than can fit in a 30 second reel (or just one article), and I wanted expand on some things here.
On its face, perfectionism (or any of the other characteristics listed) and white supremacy seemingly may not be directly related.
And to my fellow (recovering) perfectionists, it can feel like a personal attack. But WS is not a specific person or people we should fight, it’s an ideology and invisible system that, in order to be eradicated, must be recognized in the places and institutions we exist in, and in ourselves. That can be uncomfortable and painful, and that’s why it thrives.
It’s not always identifiable. It doesn't always wear a white hood or a bright red hat that says “Here comes white supremacy!”
It’s not a cartoon villain that is easy to spot.
Image by Ega Maulana from Pixabay
When we start digging deep into how, as white people in America, we are participating in a system that is so insidious, that we are defending it using the very things it has ingrained in our brains, and it’s using those same tools to keep itself alive- it’s like a Russian doll twisted into a pretzel when you try and wrap your head around it. And that’s what makes it so effective.
This list of how white supremacy shows up in work culture was not invented by me. These are decades-old ideas that I learned about from other educators and thought leaders. There is research and articles that date back years and years that illustrate how white supremacy shows up in our workplaces and lives.
Before reading these resources, I too might have thought, “Perfectionism is how white supremacy shows up at work? Now that’s a stretch!” However, it makes perfect sense.
Other ways white supremacy shows up at work:
Fear of open conflict
Defensiveness
Right to comfort
Individualism
Hustle Culture
“The characteristics listed are damaging because they are used as norms and standards without being pro-actively named or chosen by the group. They are damaging because they promote white supremacy thinking. They are damaging to both people of color and to white people. Organizations that are people of color-led or a majority people of color can also demonstrate many damaging characteristics of white supremacy culture.”
~An excerpt from “Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups.”
(By the way, I truly believe our workplaces are social change groups.)
It’s also important to be clear on some definitions when having conversations in our workplaces and beyond:
White supremacy is defined as the belief that white people constitute a superior race and should therefore dominate society, typically to the exclusion or detriment of other racial and ethnic groups, in particular black or Jewish people.
Racism is defined as prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
White privilege is defined as inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice.
These things are all nuanced and scary to discover inside ourselves, and refusing to accept they are there because it’s painful does not mean they aren’t.
I believe that having these conversations IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to creating healthy workplaces.
Also note that I AM NO EXPERT on the subject of racism and white supremacy. (Please see my resource list for names of some amazing humans who ARE experts).
I am a middle-aged white lady who is learning every day, making mistakes every day, and trying to eradicate the programming from my brain every day that I’ve only recently discovered in myself and will continue to do so until the day I die.
White supremacy harms us all. In the very least it is harmful in our workplaces, and at its worst it’s killing people in the streets.
Closing thoughts: if we want to start making some REAL change in our workplaces, it’s time to start getting painfully honest about who we are as leaders, who we want to be, what kinds of behaviors we are engaging in, and how those things translate into a harmful culture for our team, whether we are conscious of it or not.
It is my hope that collectively we will start normalizing and modeling the behaviors and ideas that create HEALTHY work cultures, and realize that this work is a practice and not a one-and-done.
What are some examples alternative behaviors?
Normalizing failure
Building community in our workplaces instead of competition
Showing appreciation
Prioritizing well-being
Being conflict positive vs conflict averse
I also want to recognize that as white people, we have the privilege to be curious and learn about these things, when Black, Brown, Indigenous, and people of color are forced to know about them in order to survive.
If you like homework assignments (I’m a nerd who does) ask yourself, “Does what I’ve been taught about what workplaces are supposed to be make sense to me, my business, and my team? Is what I’ve been taught about what it means to be a boss how I want to lead? Is the culture that exists within our organization (doesn’t matter if it’s by design or default) harmful to the team?” and finally what might be the most important question: “How can we do things differently?”
Then be honest with your answers.