Did you know that today is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination? 

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on March 21st. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid passed laws; 69 people were killed, and 180 were injured.

In 1966, the UN General Assembly called on the world to solidify the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. Racial discrimination takes many forms and is found in all areas of life, from the workplace to communities and beyond. 

We all share in the responsibility to work towards eliminating racism and here are 10 steps we can take to support this needed effort:

1. Educate – Equip people with knowledge that enables them to recognize, identify, and understand forms of racism. This can involve teaching the history of oppression and injustice as well as educating people to identify their own biases.
2. Mentorship & Support – Provide support and mentorship programs to vulnerable and underrepresented communities, opening access to resources and supporting efforts to increase resilience.
3. Use Inclusive Language – Be aware of language that reinforces stereotypes or is used in a discriminatory way. Workplaces should provide training on appropriate language so employees can be held accountable for any inappropriate behavior or speech.
4. Reject Negative Stereotypes – Take a proactive stance against negative stereotypes by challenging those who perpetuate them, and by creating environments where diverse cultural perspectives are respected.
5. Speak Up – If you witness someone experiencing racism don’t be afraid to speak up and call out any inappropriate behavior or attitudes. Remember – silence equals complicity!
6. Increase Representation Across Sectors – Promote diversity within your organization and ensure representation at every level in your company, from leadership roles down. The more diversity is celebrated in an organization, the better equipped it is to identify subtle forms of discrimination as well as develop inclusive solutions that benefit everyone.
7. Diversity Education – Introduce diversity education into workplaces which explores unconscious bias along with strategies for building relationships between colleagues from different backgrounds. Ensure that anti-discrimination policies are communicated in written form and during staff meetings, to reinforce these values.
8. Equal Opportunities No Matter Who You Are – Ensure through policies that everyone has equal opportunity regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, age, ability status, religion or background when it comes to recruitment, promotion or other decisions related to selection processes within organizations.
9. Engage With Your Community – Engaging with local community initiatives that address racism is crucial because it helps increase awareness of discriminatory practices and, as a result of the diversity of perspectives, it helps to develop effective solutions to mitigate them. It also fosters a sense of community and promotes positive change at a grassroots level, ultimately contributing to more equity and inclusivity. 
10. Check Yourself– Lastly don’t forget about self-reflection – check yourself regularly for any biases that might surface from time-to-time due your cultural influences; examining our world view is the simplest way to create grass roots change.

It is important that each of us do our part to eliminate racial discrimination because it is a fundamental violation of human rights and it undermines the basic principles of equality and respect for all people. Racial discrimination leads to serious physical, psychological, and economic harm, and it continues to maintain the divisions that are so prevalent in our society. By eliminating racial discrimination, we are on the road to a more just and equitable society where all are respected and have the same opportunities to succeed. 

So I ask you, what are you doing to eliminate racial discrimination?

#worldevents

#equality

#diversitymatters 

#inclusivity

#TheEquityAllianceGroup 

#workplaceculture