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CoSIDA.com/CoSIDA360 Magazine Archive
Note: This story appeared in the Summer 2020 September edition of CoSIDA 360 Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
CoSIDA Racial & Social Justice Initiative
For a follow up to this article, we’re asking CoSIDA members to submit examples of when they’ve faced discrimination (microaggressions, subtle racism, blatant racism, etc.). We would also like CoSIDA members to submit tips and helpful hints on how we can be champions in supporting minorities in our profession.
CLICK HERE to submit your stories.
Race, Sports and Athletic Communications
Championing Allyship into Action
Compiled and presented by the CoSIDA Advocacy and Diversity & Inclusion committees, including:
- Sahar Abdur-Rashid – NCAA, Assistant Director, Media Coordination and Statistcs, Championships External Operations
- Danny Barnts – Point Loma, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
- Kyle Chilton – BYU, Director of Media Relations - Men’s Basketball
- Sarah Kirkpatrick – Holy Cross, Assistant Director of Media Relations
- Jessica Poole – Chicago State, Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Operations and Revenue Generation
- Kenisha Rhone – Belmont, Director of Digital Media & Social Strategy
The recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others have shed a light on the instances of police brutality and racial injustice in the United States. The resulting protests and discussions have led in a heightened awareness of the intolerance Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) experience in their daily lives.
This national discussion about racial injustice has left many wondering how they can be better allies and how they can turn allyship into action.
To assist with this effort, CoSIDA leadership began the Racial & Social Justice Initiative — a year-long series of conversations, events, learning opportunities and resource-sharing that will focus on racial and social justice in the U.S. The initiative kicked off with a webinar discussion entitled Critical Conversations About Race and Social Justice.
That discussion, along with a variety of resources that can help CoSIDA members learn what we can do today to make our campuses and communities more inclusive and welcoming, can be found at
CoSIDA.com/CoSIDAforChange.
The following pages offer summaries of a few of those resources that were selected by members of the CoSIDA Advocacy and Diversity & Inclusion committees.
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“Don’t let your fear of the unknown keep you in the same space that you are. We have to move forward. There’s no option to not move forward. You need to do what you’re comfortable doing but don’t let a fear of saying the wrong thing or not being well received stop you from advancing yourself, advancing your institution or advancing our profession. We each need to be one percent better today than we were yesterday.”
- Jessica Poole – Chicago State University, CoSIDA 2nd Vice President Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
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Visit CoSIDA.com/CoSIDAforChange for links to these resources and many more on the topic of race relations and education.
READ
How to be a better ally to your Black colleagues
by Dr. Stephanie Creary, Harvard Business Review
CLICK HERE TO READ
In this article, Dr. Stephanie Creary discusses the fact that we are in the ‘midst of two interrelated public health crises (systemic racism against Black Americans and the COVID-19 pandemic) that have magnified the disparities that Black Americans continue to experience in the U.S. Despite the fact that there is an awakening happening around systemic racism, our Black co-workers have been experiencing these injustices for a very long time.
An expert in corporate diversity, equity and inclusion, Dr. Creary developed LEAP: A Framework for Becoming a Better Ally to Black Employees. It’s ‘designed to help people from different backgrounds build stronger relationships in the workplace.’ Dr. Creary notes that the difficult, hard work of noticing, connecting, valuing and responding to the needs of those who are different from us ‘results in more effective working relationships.’
Below is a brief summary of the meaning of each letter in the LEAP acronym.
L: Listen and learn from your Black colleagues’ experiences.
E: Engage with Black colleagues in racially diverse and more casual settings.
A: Ask Black employees about their work and their goals.
P: Provide your Black colleagues with opportunities, suggestions, encouragement, and general support.
In the article, Dr. Creary gives more detailed descriptions and examples of each principle of LEAP.
A key takeaway from this article is the importance of creating safe spaces where Black co-workers can express the inequalities they have faced at work. We can do our part in amplifying their voices so that those in positions of authority become more aware of changes that need to be made.
LISTEN
Microaggressions are a big deal: How to talk them out and when to walk away
by Andrew Limbong, NPR’s Life Kit, with guest Dr. Kevin Nadal
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
In this 20-minute podcast, reporter Andrew Limbong talks with Dr. Kevin Nadal about microaggressions.
Dr. Nadal defines microaggressions as ‘the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups.’ He adds that while these interactions may seem small, their accumulated effect over time can become a big strain on the mental health of those affected.
People in privileged groups should be aware of the feelings of those that belong to marginalized groups. Dr. Nadal notes that people of color are often expected to educate white people about these issues, which can be exhausting. White people should do their homework by reading blogs and essays, watching documentaries and trying ‘to think outside of your own perspective.’ We can’t expect Black people to do all of the heavy lifting.
To people of marginalized groups, Dr. Nadal advised setting realistic expectations and to know that immediate change isn’t going to happen. He added that you should always be aware of your mental health. You can’t constantly be fighting. You need to know when to step away and rest and let someone else pick up the slack.
Limbong notes that if you are actually trying to learn something from this moment, these small, daily interactions are as good a place to start as any.
READ/LISTEN
?Bryan Stevenson on how America can heal
by Ezra Klein, The Ezra Klein Show on Vox.com
CLICK HERE TO READ OR LISTEN
Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, author of Just Mercy and a clinical professor at the New York University School of Law, recently appeared on the Ezra Klein show to discuss truth and reconciliation in America.
In the interview, Stevenson stresses that until we know and understand our actual history, we will be unable to know how to repair and undo the damage that has been done. While much of the interview focuses on the history of racial injustice in the United States, Stevenson’s ideas and principles can be applied to any institution that we belong to, including the institutions of higher education that employ CoSIDA members.
Here are a few of Stevenson’s highlights from the interview:
- ‘If you don’t know your history, you can’t really begin to understand what your obligations are, what your responsibilities are, what you should fear, what you should celebrate, what’s honorable and what’s not honorable.’
- ‘I believe colleges and universities need to have their own truth-telling process to document the ways in which they contributed to the history of racial inequality, the history of white supremacy. If you were a college and university functioning in the first half of the 20th century, there are things you should acknowledge you did to sustain racial inequality.’
- ‘I’m persuaded that each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done. Because of that, I want to talk about this history of enslavement and of native genocide and of lynching and segregation, not because I’m interested in punishing America. I want to liberate us. I really do believe there is something better waiting for us. I think there’s something that feels more like freedom. There’s something that feels more like equality. There’s something that feels more like justice that we have yet to experience in this country.’
- ‘There’s no way forward at this moment in our history that doesn’t involve some discomfort and doesn’t involve some inconvenience. And you just have to find the capacity and the courage to embrace that.’
Stevenson is a leader in social justice in the United States. In addition to this interview, read his book Just Mercy and check out his work with the Equal Justice Initiative and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice.
WATCH
Critical Conversations: The Intersection of Race and Athletic Communications.
A Professional Development Initiative from the CoSIDA Executive Board of Directors
CLICK HERE TO WATCH ON-DEMAND
Moderator DeWayne Peevy (University of Kentucky) was joined by fellow CoSIDA members Jessica Poole (Chicago State University), Kenisha Rhone (Belmont University), Scottie Rodgers (Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic) and Kyle Serba (North Carolina Central University) for a discussion about race and our profession.
This should be required viewing for all CoSIDA members to help us understand the challenges some of our colleagues face and to learn how we can create more equitable and welcoming work environments. Check out some of the highlights below.
Jessica Poole:
Don’t let your fear of the unknown keep you in the same space that you are. We have to move forward. There’s no option to not move forward. You need to do what you’re comfortable doing but don’t let a fear of saying the wrong thing or not being well received stop you from advancing yourself, advancing your institution or advancing our profession. We each need to be one percent better today than we were yesterday.
If you want to diversify your department, take a step back and look at the climate in which you’re bringing people into. Make sure that you’re doing the work on the front end, and making sure that your environment feels good for a minority to step into any position on your campus.
Scottie Rodgers
We have to make a change. If you’re at a school or a conference right now, and you are fortunate to have a position that you’re trying to fill, and you don’t try to seek out somebody to help diversify your pool, then you’re not doing that one percent. Make that extra phone call. There are people out there.
When should you do something? Yesterday. Get used to being uncomfortable with these conversations. If you are not knowledgeable enough, seek out the diversity and inclusion staff on your campus or a professor that knows about these issues. Show that you can tackle tough issues.
Kyle Serba
As a white person, step outside your comfort zone. Expand your network, include a diversity of people. Once in that environment, listen. Open up your mind and heart so you can feel the stories. It will make you a better person and you’ll have more compassion. Step up, speak up and be anti-racist. I was living in the middle; I need to step up my game, too.
Kenisha Rhone
Amplify the voices of those who you know are doing good work on racial and social justice issues. Move beyond being allies, and be a champion for others. Get them involved in committees. People of all ethnic backgrounds need to help.
In addition to making sure our student-athletes are heard, we should help them find productive ways to use what they have at their fingertips. Social media is a tool. Showing them the best ways to use utilize this tool could be opening a doorway for them to a great internship or a great career that they hadn’t even considered.
DeWayne Peevy
If you’re not digging deeper into looking for a more diverse applicant pool, you’ll prevent yourself from meeting some very talented prospective employees.
Peevy also highlighted the work of the McLendon Foundation, which provides postgraduate scholarships for minority students who intend on pursuing an advanced degree in the field of athletics administration. Learn more at minorityleaders.org.
The CoSIDA Diversity & Inclusion and Advocacy committees are committed to continuing this conversation about racial injustice and what we can do to make ours a more diverse and inclusive profession.
For a follow up to this article, we’re asking CoSIDA members to submit examples of when they’ve faced discrimination (microaggressions, subtle racism, blatant racism, etc.). We would also like CoSIDA members to submit tips and helpful hints on how we can be champions in supporting minorities in our profession.
CLICK HERE to submit your stories.
You Said
We asked CoSIDA members, what was your biggest takeaway from the “Critical Conversations” discussion?
“It’s time to step up.”
“I need to do more at my institution to combat racial injustice.”
“Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Empathy is free. Get 1% better every day.”
“That we all need to be doing what we can to talk about racial justice in our conference/institution. Don’t wait for black colleagues to do so.”
“Don’t let your fear of the unknown keep you in the same space that you are in.”
“Don’t be afraid to speak out. If this issue isn’t addressed, it can truly overtake an organization.”
“Make sure to utilize minority organizations when posting job searches.”
“In this profession of athletic communications on the college level, there’s a lot of work yet to be done in opening doors of opportunity for people of color. Also, for those who have already stepped into that door, much remains to be done to treat those individuals with a level of respect that is given to other employees at their institution.”
“There is a difference between being an ally and a champion.”
“This is not about a strategic plan, this is about an action plan.”
“The fact that your ally doesn’t have to look like you. Also when you are recruiting minorities look around you and make sure you’re not bringing them into a hostile environment.”
“I think it’s important that this discussion happened and I think it’s even more important to encourage even more colleagues who are not minorities to be in attendance. I’m excited for a future that can continue to change more positively, and better represent and be an asset to our student-athletes.”