My stance on systemic racism, sexism and patriarchal bullshit.
Well that’s a great way to start.
My (Linsi Brownson) views in this case also represent the values of my company, and how we will and won’t do business.
After the murder of George Floyd, my immediate reaction was that of a “Karen” - a privileged middle-class white woman who assumed the black guy must have done something wrong (at least wrong enough) to deserve the initial response from police. The tragedy of his death (surely an accident) was also a tragedy for the poor officer whose life would be ruined by this.
Thank God (yes, her) that I did my homework on this. I decided to check my privilege and finally admit that maybe I was wrong about a lot of things.
This is how you start. Open your mind to the possibility that you are wrong, that you have caused harm (even unintentionally, even if you’re a good person, even if you’re not a racist, and especially if you have marginalized people in your life who you care about.)
I support Black Lives Matter.
I support it because until black lives stop being snuffed out brutally by police, and until people stop making justifications like “well black people kill each other all the time too…” then there is still work to do.
I’m am now unequivocal about this.
I have changed my perspective radically from where I started (and by “started” I mean May 25, 2020). So if you aren’t unequivocal at the start, I understand. But consider your position and your reasons why.
Like any other personal growth you want for your life and business, begin with curiosity and compassion to untangle yourself from your indoctrinated thoughts and triggering media messages. Who do YOU want to be in this world? What values do you want to live and work by?
It’s hard to separate the politics on this from our universal human connectedness. At the core, most of us want everyone to succeed. We do not want harm done to others for our own gain. Of course not! But that is what these systems have created. We are good people living in a bad system, and for most of our lives we were not aware of it. But the evidence is clear now. And now we have a choice to do better.
This story hit me.
I was heartbroken by the story of Patrick Warren Sr. a black man who was killed in front of his home on January 10, 2021. He was unarmed in his yard, acting “strange” praising God and raising his arms to the sky. It was unusual but not threatening. His son called the police (not 911) to ask if a mental health professional would come to talk with him. He asked explicitly, “Please come unarmed, my father is unarmed I want to keep him safe.”
A policeman came, armed. Patrick was back inside so the police officer asked him to come out front…alone. The family tried to go with him and were asked by the officer (hand over gun) to go back inside. They complied. Moments later, a voice called out, followed by gunshots.
Patrick died out front of his home. He had not attacked or threatened the officer. He wanted to be left alone, or go back to his family, either of which was within his rights. His son, who calmly and clearly asked for mental health support, will wish for the rest of his life that he did not.
Mental Health is essential to our evolution as a species.
We have more access to resources, more freedom, more wealth than ever before in history. And the highest statistics of mental disorders. This is not a coincidence.
The mental health care system is insufficient at best. It’s also systemically tied to racism and patriarchy.
The Loveland Foundation
The Loveland Foundation is making a powerful impact for communities of color, particularly Black women and girls. Their therapy fund is a great place to donate, which provides access to therapy for applicants who need therapy but cannot otherwise afford it.
Other ways to grow.
Audit your feed. Review the people and brands you follow online and disconnect from those who don’t share your values or desire to grow. Make room for the people who do.
Seek out new influences, educators, small businesses who state their values clearly. Diversify your influences so you hear, see and connect with the people who have lived experiences you have not.
Whether you shop big or shop small, intentionally spend your dollars with companies that align with your values and are actively making an effort to change their practices. You are funding progress.
Diversify within your company. As a business owner, you want a team of people that bring different things to the table than you do. This is not just true for skills, it’s also true for life experiences, personalities and backgrounds. Make your company an inclusive place, be a mentor to your team, and foster safe communication practices that allow your team to help you grow as a person and business.
I have more to add to this page but I’m doing this in phases as I continue to get educated myself. So far I have attended DEI, and mental health trainings through my coaching certification, as well as taking paid courses and workshops (it’s important to pay our educators) to learn and discuss in a safe space. I am a trauma-informed coach in my practice, meaning that it is my job to know when coaching is and is not appropriate, and have resources to recommend for trauma support.