Yesterday, April 4, 2018, marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination. People across the nation payed tribute and honored him. As an African American woman and mother, I found myself wanting to do more—not only in the spirit of Dr. King, but also in the frustration of how far we still have to go as a nation to truly achieve his Dream. I want the world to be different when my daughter is my age. I want Dr. King’s dream to be a reality and the issues of social injustice and inequality to be nonexistent. I want diversity in the workplace to be the norm and for my daughter to never have to question whether she did or did not land a position or get a promotion because of the color of her skin.
I began gathering Dr. King’s quotes and relating them to the work that The Winters Group does daily. I felt a sense of pride in the efforts that we make to change the world, and I wanted to use this opportunity to share these thoughts in hopes that you will be inspired and perhaps find some key takeaways from this article than you can apply to your daily work and life. After all, the goal is to continue on the path to achieve the Dream, his Dream.
“Equality means dignity. And dignity demands a job and a paycheck that lasts through the week.”
The lack of diversity in workplaces is not a new topic of discussion. When you think of equality do you relate it to dignity in any way? What about when you think of a job that someone may desperately need to provide for their family? Now imagine that person is overlooked for that position simply because of their race, gender or sexual orientation. They were not overlooked because they don’t have the experience, or they did not work as hard, or because their interview process was a failure, but simply because of who they are.
There are countless statistics that I could have inserted here to talk about a lack of diversity in the workplace, but one in particular stuck out to me because it triggered me to think about my daughter’s future. According to an Ernst & Young study, fewer CEOs are women than are named David. The fact that a single name can outnumber a gender in any category is quite shocking. This disparity clearly shows how women are not presented with the same opportunities, and it has nothing to do with them not being prepared for leadership. So, in honor of Dr. King, as a business owner, entrepreneur, HR director, hiring manager, etc., I challenge you to make diversity a priority in your hiring. Check your own biases first and give ALL worthy candidates a fair opportunity.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
You’ve seen the movements; you’ve seen the rallies; and you’ve seen the campaigns. It is clear that many people are standing up against the injustices of this nation, and you may find yourself wondering how you can too. What can you do to play a part in making sure everyone is treated justly? Stepping out of your comfort zone is the first step. Find a cause that may not directly affect you. Because odds are, if you are not participating in any of these movements, even with the slightest actions, it is because you feel like you do not relate. Perhaps the issues at hand do not affect your day to day life or affect you at all. But Dr. King argues the opposite – Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. It does affect you.
So, choose a cause, and once you choose one that pushes you outside of your comfort zone, research it. I mean really research it. Focus your time on what those participating in the cause are saying rather than what the media says. Focus on the meaning of the cause, the back-story of its creation, and the actions you can take to raise awareness. You do not have to be in the middle of a protest to make a difference (although I do not discourage that at all). Simply take a stand, if not for yourself, then do it for someone else.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
A key component of leadership is speaking up, and sometimes with speaking up, you may find yourself speaking alone. At The Winters Group, we have a commitment to live inclusively and within that pledge, we state, “I commit to speaking up and speaking out, Even when I am not directly impacted, for there is no such thing as neutrality in the quest for equity, justice and inclusion”. In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King’s teachings, I encourage you to embrace your truth and speak up and out about the injustices that you may come across. Saying and doing what is right may not always be the popular choice, but Dr. King did not make the huge impact that he did by being popular – he changed the world by showing up and speaking up. Can you do the same?
