One of the most insidious ways systemic racism is upheld is through the persistent narrative that we shouldn’t be talking about race. We’ve all heard it: “Talking about race only divides us,” “We’re all human; why bring race into it?” or the ever-present “It’s impolite to talk about such things.” These statements may sound neutral or even try to pass themselves off as conciliatory on the surface, but in reality, they act as a powerful mechanism to maintain not only racial inequities, but all kinds of social inequities; from gender inequity to economic disparity to very specific things such as workplace pay gaps. The tools of politeness, propriety and privacy all work to help maintain injustice and they are not at all intended to facilitate “unity”. Let’s unpack why avoiding conversations about race is not a path to unity but a tool of oppression.

The backlash against DE&I is here, but for the most part this means very little for those engaged in the work of Racial Justice. With corporations scaling back programs to leaders deriding DE&I as excesses of “wokeness,” or “femininity”, this retreat is as much tactical and political, as it is expected and deserved. Some may view this as a threat to progress, but I feel this reckoning is well-overdue and absolutely warranted.

As we look about our world and our workplaces, it is evident that we are in desperate need of proactive approaches to fostering more equitable, inclusive and harmonious communities, societies and places of work. And yet the conversation of race and racism is still a difficult one to initiate in professional settings, and even more challenging to progress beyond just basic lip service.

Even for those in roles that are directly responsible for such things as Diversity & Inclusion, or People & Culture, discussing “racism” can be challenging and making progress can be slow and limited. Part of the reason for this is that discussions on race and racism can bring up some uncomfortable emotions, degrees of resistance and denial, and certainly some apprehension based on some preconceived ideas of “the response”.

Leaders can either be the champions of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) within an organisation or the barriers to its effectiveness. The actions and attitudes, and of course the decisions of leadership shapes the organisational culture and sets the tone for how diversity is perceived, valued and if genuine equity and inclusion is practised.

The phrase "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" has become ubiquitous in societal discourse, as an attempt to perpetuate the myth of meritocracy, grit, determination and self-reliance being the only differentiating factor between wealth and poverty, success and failure. Yet the intolerable irony is that its origins were to actually mock the impossibility of the very task it describes. This phrase has been romanticised to invoke ideals of grit and resilience, but those advocate for it and the ones who generally know full well the lie of such a proposition. The grim reality of systemic barriers and reinforcing feedback loops these days, renders this notion not only unattainable but also unjust, further exacerbating the chasm between wealth and poverty with an inhumane sense of humour.

The Multicultural Framework Review - Terms of Reference begins by stating that more than half of Australian residents (51.5%) are either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas. It then goes on to state that “Culturally and linguistically diverse communities” are integral members of our vibrant, multicultural society.

Already, the document has failed to acknowledge that Australia is an almost entirely migrant nation, and the only exceptions to that are the First Nations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the continent. The language used in the Terms of Reference implies that 51.5% are “migrants”, and the rest are not. Already, the power dynamic is being established, and we have another subtle reminder that some Australians are more Australian than others.

By now, we've all heard the term "woke" used in a disparaging way by someone close to us, and it can be challenging to respond effectively if we don’t feel like we have the language to broach the subject with them. It’s also disheartening and disappointing to see those we hold in high regard using this term in a dismissiveness and disrespectful way. Nevertheless, engaging in an open and honest dialogue is crucial to raising awareness and fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of social justice and the true meaning of "woke."

Unconscious bias, or implicit bias, is a subconscious attitude that affects the way we feel and think about others. Subconscious attitudes aren’t as well-formed as coherent thoughts, but they can be very ingrained and impact the 1000’s of emotional and rational responses we have each day.

Using Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) as an acronym is both harmful and stagnating progress on racism, prolonging the journey to a more just and equitable society. In this article, we explain why using the term CALD hinders anti-racism efforts, and why using Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CARM) is a much more effective approach.

Have you ever wondered how to explain to someone why it’s inappropriate to say, “I don’t see colour”? Let’s unpack the underlying racist subtext of colourblindness and the systemic racism impacts and outcomes so we can all become better antiracism allies.