We have talked about the fact that systemic and subtle discrimination accumulates over time, and that the antidote for discrimination is opportunity and sharing power.
So what can you do to help as an individual? We have 18 ways you can help as an individual right now without asking for anyone’s permission that will help create opportunities and share power. This is called allyship by some people.
Centre people from marginalised groups
We want to do this because people from marginalised groups get erased from the conversation every single day.
- Setup your social media to include a core of people from marginalised groups that you wouldn’t normally see.
- Proactively find databases of intersectionality marginalised people in your industry to build new relationships.
- Keep your own track of intersectionality marginalised people in your industry that you want to share power with.
Step aside for people from marginalised groups
Instead of applying for a choice opportunity for yourself, encourage, mentor and help people from a marginalised group apply. This is not tokenism if they have the talent and potential and you are willing to share your skills and experience with them.
If you were:
- asked to speak at a conference or be on a panel, you might want to suggest an intersectionality marginalised person you know is an excellent speaker and fits well and wants speaking opportunities, but doesn’t get many opportunities to speak,
- asked to be part of a publication or an article, you might want to suggest an intersectionality marginalised person to replace you on that work that you know has the skills but doesn’t get many opportunities, and
- asked to work on an interesting project, you might want to suggest an intersectionality marginalised person to replace you on that project that you know has the skills but doesn’t get many opportunities.
Encourage (and sponsor) people from marginalised groups
Sponsorship is one level of advocacy more than mentorship. It is about taking time and effort to proactively help people get more opportunities.
Sponsorship means advocating for people when they are not in the room, eg. suggesting a marginalised colleague or candidate for a job when they aren’t in the room when there is talk of a new job opportunity being planned (that they would be great for). But the best advice is to ask the person themselves what they think they need, see what their strengths are and take that into account when deciding to identify or fight for opportunities for them.
If you were:
- going to setup a committee, you might want to suggest an intersectionality marginalised person to be on that committee that you know has the skills but doesn’t get many opportunities,
- going to recruit, ensure you interview marginalised candidates by default and provide them with constructive feedback. Go out of your way to engage with, help with introductions, and mentor them. Once you know them better you can sponsor them, and
- going to go to a conference and an an intersectionality marginalised person you know can’t go even though it would be good for their career, you can proactively reach out to them and ask what networks they want to build and proactively search out good contacts for them at the conference.
When you see a marginalised person do something well, compliment them. This can help with fighting the effects of gaslighting.
I get excited when I see us [Black women] do well. When I see African American women doing great stuff, I get excited. Usually I drop them a note and say, ”Hey, you go for it”, “You go girl!” It’s never that, oh, “Who do you think you are?” Or, better yet, I’m not going to help you, or I’m not going to be a part of that.” I don’t have time for that. You know what, we don’t have time for that. ‘Cause there’s still too few of us… So again, so that’s why it’s important that when you see in opportunity you, you pick up the phone, say, “There’s a position that’s available. You need to go look into it.” Okay? Or, become the on-ramp (Health Care / Executive, personal communication, February 9, 2018).
Identify talented people from marginalised groups
- Focus less on skills and experience and focus more on potential and continuous improvement skills.
- Go out of your way to engage with, help with introductions and job opportunities, and mentor.
- Especially be proactive in job opportunities!
- The more marginalised a candidate, the more the gap between skills and experience should be reduced as a weighting when hiring. You can do this as an individual on an interview panel by highlighting the idea of Achievement Relative to Opportunity – imagine what this person could do if we gave them a chance based on what they did before!
- Take into account extenuating circumstances eg. returning from long-term maternity leave when comparing skills tests.
Support people from marginalised groups
Retention can be the real test of an organisation’s DEI credentials. Make sure that when new faces arrive they are supported.
- Reach out to new people from marginalised groups to let them know you can be leaned on for support. eg. “Hey I know that this organisation might not always be safe. Please let me know if you need to talk.”
- Listen to them and take any concerns they have seriously. It is normal for lived experience to be ignored as a person from a marginalised group.
- Stand up for people from a marginalised group to be heard in meetings and ensure their ideas are heard and debated on merit, not based on the person who mentioned it.
- Acknowledge their contributions and ensure they are being fairly credited with their work in public and even when they aren’t in the room.
