And we do feel strongly that there is a way to persist in instituting organizational principles and practices that allow folks to thrive. We’ve always said that centering the lived experiences of individuals who have been historically marginalized benefits not just the whole organization or the whole community, but society. So at the end of the day our work has always been in support of all.
–Kerrien Suarez, President and CEO of Equity In The Center®
Last week, Equity In The CenterTM (EIC) held space for our colleagues, comrades, co-conspirators and friends to be in beloved community as we processed the inauguration, ensuing avalanche of Executive Orders, and what they imply for our work. EIC President and CEO Kerrien Suarez grounded the space in our values and our belief that equity and justice can be achieved over time. And she invited us to not panic, remain calm and connected, lean on our ancestors and meditative practices.
Self Care
Managing Director Andrew Plumley shared self care practices that help keep him grounded:
- Acknowledge and process your emotions – whether you feel anger, fear, sadness, or even disgust, allow yourself to go through these emotions and do it without judgment. These are real and warranted emotions. Journaling, meditation and therapy are some great tools to help us all process what we are feeling.
- Stay informed but not inundated – set healthy boundaries about the information you take in and be intentional about it.
- Rest and care for yourself – sleep, (eat well, exercise, get fresh air, and regulate your body and breathing.
- Build mindfulness practices – even if it’s only for a couple of minutes, mindfulness is a helpful tool to care for ourselves. Consider not looking at your phone for the first hour that you’re awake and listening to music instead. Plum Village offers many free resources for mindfulness practices, including guided meditations.
- Find and continue to build community – connect as much as you can with others who share your values.. Solidarity is a powerful tool in combating what is happening in the world right now, and it mitigates loneliness and isolation which many are enduring.
- Educate yourself – without inundating ourselves, it’s important to continue to learn about the things that matter to us so that we can continue to fight.
- Prioritize joy – the things that brought us joy yesterday can still do that for us today. Make space for creativity and hope.
Support at Work
Andrew also shared thoughts for organizational leaders to consider as we navigate the shifting landscape:
- Acknowledge the impact of this moment – this moment is truly unprecedented. To the best of our abilities, leaders should name the impact and validate our coworkers’ needs (as appropriate for work) – mental health and safety are critically important.
- Foster open communication and brave spaces – the emotions we are processing are raw and fraught, sometimes/often requiring supportive community. We need spaces to process that are facilitated by folks outside of our organizations.
- Consider affinity spaces – smaller conversations can happen in facilitated affinity spaces or employee resource groups ( ERGs), especially when these spaces are already in place and trust has been established.
- Check in on direct reports – managers should ensure that the needs of their direct reports are being appropriately met.
At EIC, senior leadership gave our team two days after the inauguration to process and tend to themselves in whatever way they needed. We were closed to the public; some of our folks checked out completely while others were slightly engaged. The bottom line was that we would not ask any of our team members to hold space for others. This aligns with EIC’s commitment to holding space for navigating the now.
Community members shared what they need from EIC as their work adapts to the stresses of this moment. Leaders and organizations need support in strengthening their capacity to persist and pivot as necessary. Often, those of us who belong to historically marginalized communities lead equity or DEI work inside of our organizations, thus bearing the emotional labor of this work.
EIC will continue to provide equitable access to tools and resources for us to support each other. More structured and unstructured spaces will refortify leaders and their teams as we all continue to cope. We will also engage professionals with legal expertise, and leverage their knowledge and experience to help organizations and communities understand legislation and policies as they are issued. We will also remain informed of security concerns impacting organizations and communities, and facilitate access to expert advice and recommendations because we know this expertise can be expensive.
Moving Forward in Community
As the conversation drew to a close, Kerrien reminded us that those who are at the leading edge of movement have an obligation to step back as we need to so we can care for ourselves. She is especially encouraged by the collective choice of Black women who say they are actively stepping back this year. Andrew invited Black men to support Black women so they are able to step back and restore and noted the need to create spaces for Black men to come together and explore ways to support this choice. Each of us has a role to play in supporting this choice; we must be explicit and intentional in our efforts.
How are you committed to caring for yourself as you navigate the now? The landscape has always shifted. Our elders and ancestors have seen and been through so much, yet they persisted in the work of equity and justice by remaining focused on long term outcomes. Their resilience and steadfastness has helped us stay focused and grounded. We invite you to reconnect with your own foundations, and ground yourself in community in the days and weeks ahead.
