Special Edition on Systemic Racism

This week, we are focusing on systemic racism. I am interrupting the series on female leadership to focus specifically on the tragic events that are taking place in the United States that have been propelled forward by the tragic murder of George Floyd. We will return with the series on female leadership next week. 

The issues that are being pushed to the forefront by protesters, advocates, and regular people go far beyond finding justice for Mr. Floyd’s murder. They bring to light that systemic racism is an ongoing problem that is much worse than most people who are not black have realized. Yes, conditions for African Americans have improved since the 1800s. Nonetheless, the original problems of inequity, injustice, and inhumanity for financial gain that this country has been grappling with since its inception continue. Except now they are masked by a false sense of security that is brought about by a feeling of progress. Many people feel that because they think racism is wrong that it has gone away. Acknowledging white privilege does not within itself undo the systemic and intuitional injustices that are being perpetuated on a daily basis.

The fact that being a person of color is a provocation for the police is a complete affront to decency, humanity, and any ethical code anyone claims to hold. The fact that a black person runs the risk of being victimized for merely walking down the street is a violation of the social contract that our nation is supposed to have with its citizens. The fact that the mere act of engaging in mundane activities puts anyone who is black at the risk of being falsely accused of a crime and, subsequently, potentially being killed by police officers is a threat to true law and order. Believing that racism is wrong or saying we should lead with love is not enough to address these wrongs that are being perpetrated against our fellow countrymen. This is, sadly, naive. The only thing that will yield change is concrete policy reform. This change encompasses the full policy spectrum – legislation, complementary regulation, robust government systems, the alignment of government tools, accountability mechanisms, and changes in practices. Without this, the only outcomes we will see are clever memes and slogans; self-aggrandizing speeches denouncing racism on whichever social media platform a person uses; and video shorts featuring children who have not been biased by racism. This is not reform. It is an illusion of change. 

Effective Governance Can Address Systemic Racism

An essential focus of effective governance is functionality. Government exists to solve problems that individuals cannot solve on their own without the help of collective action, the mobilization of resources on a large scale, and the coordination of the corresponding logistics to effectively implement a policy solution. Systemic racism is one of those issues. The government is not fulfilling its purpose if it does not address it openly and truthfully. 

Justice is inevitably process driven. Just think about all of the movements that have started with a great idea, but they have been sabotaged by faulty processes, inadequate funding, or a lack of capacity. Protests, good ideas, and inspiring speeches are a small part of the equation, but they are only the beginning of the true process of change. They spark change, so it is important to speak out, but true change happens during the boring policy deliberations that address the following: 

** Legislative and regulatory solutions and systems, including designing effective implementation government tools;

** Establishing accountability systems that are neutral, objective, transparent, and outcome-driven;

** Establishing processes that allows for systems corrections, which align practices and outcomes;

** Building the state and local capacity of the responsible institutions needed to implement the appropriate policy remedies; 

** Creating a well-delineated process for managing the coordination of the logistics needed to operationalize the appropriate solutions on a spectrum that ranges from the local level to the national level;

** The identification and generation of sustainable revenue sources that provides sufficient funding to finance the scope, capacity, and reach of the policy interventions;

** Assigning an appropriate and delineated level of authority to those managing the process that allows them to make process modifications when corrections are needed;

** Defining what constitutes transparency and oversight;

** Designating an ethics reform process and new practices of care; and

** Establishing the processes for how change will be managed.

These steps are slow, bureaucratic, tedious, and detail-oriented. They also require the involvement of a broad spectrum of policy brokers, including community members, field-specific experts, and technocrats who understand how the levers of government function. Nonetheless, they are essential for sustainable change.

We Don’t Have to Choose Between Causes

There are many that would like us to address all of the social injustices in this world at this time. That includes racism towards other communities (e.g., other minorities, religious groups, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA, etc.). These injustices are, of course, very important too. However, as a Latina woman, I can say that there can only be winners if we focus on addressing the systemic racism that African Americans are experiencing at this moment. That doesn’t mean we have to diminish the advocacy we do for our own communities. Offering a lending hand as this policy window is opening for a brief period of time is the only fair thing to do. Isn’t it time once and for all that we give this issue the time and attention it deserves instead of temporary patchwork solutions? We don’t need to choose between the African American community and other communities. Creating just laws, processes, institutions, and systems will inevitably have a ripple effect on other injustices. Our society will come out better as a whole. 

Let’s Remain Focused on Addressing Systemic Racism

Failing to be vigilant at all levels of the policy process at this moment will stunt true reform and substitute it with symbolic wins or more fleeting solutions. Without following through across the entire policy spectrum, we only perpetuate unjust systems that delegitimize our moral authority in front of the world who, incidentally, is now both horrified by and confused about who the United States really is. 

What Can You Do?

You can continue to speak out, sign petitions, participate in protests, write to your elected officials, join a campaign, and make your voice heard. You could also become involved on the policy side by actually becoming a professional advocate yourself who attempts to influence the policy and implementation process. If these options are not your style, then consider donating to organizations that specialize in this work. They will be replete with professionals that have the field-specific expertise needed to complete an advocacy campaign all the way till the end of the policy process. The Huffington Post recently had an article that highlighted organizations you can donate to that can help address systemic racism. Lastly, I will join the legions of people who say, VOTE in the upcoming election in 2020.

If you have any suggestions on strategies that can be used to address systemic racism long-term, please share them with us below.

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