What Can a White Person Do About Racism in the Workplace?
Q. As a white person who sees a competent co-worker of color being discriminated against in some way, what can I do to help set things right? A. In this age of diversity training, many people have learned how to hide their racism at work. As a result, it’s often only white people who hear, without censorship, what other whites really think about people of color. The sad fact is, in a situation of discrimination, a white voice can carry more weight than that of a person of color. That’s because claims of racism are often written off as someone trying to “play the race card” to get ahead at work. When white people stand up for their co-workers of color, it can send a powerful message. But before you jump in, there are a few things you want to look out for… 1. Don’t make the mistake of unilaterally becoming a knight in shining armor and rushing in to defend your co-worker without his or her permission. If you feel certain that your co-worker (let’s call her Stacy) is being discriminated
