Let’s get very uncomfortable with one another, shall we?
http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/4297/1/Lets-get-very-uncomfortable-with-one-another-shall-we/Page1.html
By Linda S. Wallace
Published on 10/29/2009
While working as an education reporter for The Commercial Appeal in the late 1980s, a man with a genuine fondness for the word “Nigger” called the newspaper one day. I answered the phone, listened to his rants and scheduled an interview.
The white man – a local beauty school operator – was shocked when I, an African-American reporter, showed up at his office. He was taken aback, but the injustice he had called me to discuss bothered him more than my skin color, so he talked to me anyway.
By the time I left his office, I had plenty of evidence suggesting that efforts were underway to force some African-American beauty schools in Memphis out of business so brand new predominantly white schools could qualify more quickly for Pell Grant programs. If a new beauty school purchased the licensed of an existing school, it is considered an “existing school” by the federal government.
As I described the interview later, including the racial slurs, my editors cringed. What should they do? Assign a black reporter to a story when the source was clearly biased? Or protect her by giving her story to a white reporter, who wouldn’t have to jump any extra hurdles? Is it better to play it safe or to travel the steeper path where people must lift and remove barriers before they move forward?
Racially diverse cities such as Memphis find themselves in a similar quandary. Typically public, civic and business leaders conclude that the lack of open racial conflict, turmoil and yelling is a sign that everything is OK.
Many diversity trainers will argue, however, that is just not the case. If ethnic groups and women aren’t airing their complaints and concerns publicly that could be a sign that the truly angry folks have dropped out of the conversation. Chances are fairly good they are talking to each other, in hopes of shooting down the plans the polite groups develop. Better to give all a seat at the table, and provide communication tools for resolving conflict and reaching consensus.
When diversity is working as it should, leaders and residents should feel a bit uncomfortable. That is because inclusion requires us to work outside of our comfort zones – confronting our unconscious biases and holding the conversations we are most afraid to have.
Back in the 1980s, I was able to convince the editors to keep me on that cosmetology story, though their instincts told them to remove me. If you assign a white reporter, that confirms the beauty school owner’s view that African Americans are inferior. Plus, it denied me an opportunity I earned.
With the election of Mayor AC Wharton Jr., Memphis has a window of change and an opportunity to launch a riskier, more honest conversation on race, one that simultaneously upgrades workforce quality and engages citizen problem-solvers.
African Americans and European Americans need to meet and openly air their challenges and grievances. This exercise should be used to develop a new generation of business and political leaders who are empathic listeners, dynamic problem-solvers, culturally literate negotiators and managers capable of transforming diversity into a high-performing asset that works for – not against – Memphis.
Next time, Mr. Mayor, hold a listening exercise, instead of a dialog. Bring black leaders and white leaders together in a room. Close and lock the doors. Then give the white and black leaders 30 minutes to make a presentation. The blacks speak while the whites listen. The whites speak while the blacks listen. At the end, members of both groups get to ask questions – for clarification. Nobody gets to make statements. Then, put the blacks and whites in separate groups and ask them to write down what they heard. Ask each group to meet for six weeks to identify ways they can resolve the OTHER group’s issues.
That’s a start of a culturally competent dialogue that, if managed well, can open the door wider to economic and political inclusion, where every Memphian gets to fully develop his or her talents and contribute to the tax base. In a city with a high crime rate and unemployment, that’s an investment worthy of consideration.
After the cosmetology school investigation ended, my colleague, Karanja A. Ajanaku, and I ended up with a series of page one stories that then-Tennessee Sen. Howard Baker later read into the Congressional Record.
But the confidence I gained – and the thrill of overcoming racial adversity – was the greater prize. A few weeks after the story was published, I would pick up the phone again, and hear that beauty school owner on the line.
“You did a good job,” he told me. “If I ever have another difficult story, I am going to call the newspaper and ask them to assign a black reporter.”
Sure, we had our challenges finding that common ground – and more than a few terrifying ups and downs along the way. As the beauty school owner and I broadened our cultural skill sets, the entire community benefited from our mutual investment.
Think how rich Memphis could be if its complex relationships with race produced a handsome rate of return every day.
RX for change
Memphis is a city with a rich history but an uncertain future as crime, unemployment, evictions and poverty are taking a heavy toll in our community. Today, the Tri-State Defender launches a series – “Rx for Change” – that allows everyday people a chance to comment on our region’s potential and present road map. How do we get where we need to go? This is a chance for the people on the frontlines to speak to the decision-makers.
We begin with Linda S. Wallace, a former journalist for The Commercial Appeal, who came back to Memphis for several months this spring and has remained a regular contributor to the Tri-State Defender. Wallace is a journalist-turned-diversity strategist. She has written a national column on race, the Cultural Coach, and conducted training programs for clients ranging from police to military to corporate institutions. She is working on a book, “Lessons from the Dog Park.”
Contributions to “Rx for Change” are welcomed. We want to hear from teachers, parents and students about education, ex-offenders and police officers about crime and voters about politics. We invite you into the fold of citizen journalists as we look for fresh ideas and new ways to move Greater Memphis forward.
Send articles of 750 words or less to Karanja A. Ajanaku, executive editor, at kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com or mail them to Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Ste. 200, Memphis, TN 38103-3727. Please include your name, address and a telephone number where you can be contacted. If your article is selected for publication, we will call you.
The white man – a local beauty school operator – was shocked when I, an African-American reporter, showed up at his office. He was taken aback, but the injustice he had called me to discuss bothered him more than my skin color.
Let’s get very uncomfortable with one another, shall we?
 |
Linda S. Wallace |
The white man – a local beauty school operator – was shocked when I, an African-American reporter, showed up at his office. He was taken aback, but the injustice he had called me to discuss bothered him more than my skin color, so he talked to me anyway.
By the time I left his office, I had plenty of evidence suggesting that efforts were underway to force some African-American beauty schools in Memphis out of business so brand new predominantly white schools could qualify more quickly for Pell Grant programs. If a new beauty school purchased the licensed of an existing school, it is considered an “existing school” by the federal government.
As I described the interview later, including the racial slurs, my editors cringed. What should they do? Assign a black reporter to a story when the source was clearly biased? Or protect her by giving her story to a white reporter, who wouldn’t have to jump any extra hurdles? Is it better to play it safe or to travel the steeper path where people must lift and remove barriers before they move forward?
Racially diverse cities such as Memphis find themselves in a similar quandary. Typically public, civic and business leaders conclude that the lack of open racial conflict, turmoil and yelling is a sign that everything is OK.
Many diversity trainers will argue, however, that is just not the case. If ethnic groups and women aren’t airing their complaints and concerns publicly that could be a sign that the truly angry folks have dropped out of the conversation. Chances are fairly good they are talking to each other, in hopes of shooting down the plans the polite groups develop. Better to give all a seat at the table, and provide communication tools for resolving conflict and reaching consensus.
When diversity is working as it should, leaders and residents should feel a bit uncomfortable. That is because inclusion requires us to work outside of our comfort zones – confronting our unconscious biases and holding the conversations we are most afraid to have.
Back in the 1980s, I was able to convince the editors to keep me on that cosmetology story, though their instincts told them to remove me. If you assign a white reporter, that confirms the beauty school owner’s view that African Americans are inferior. Plus, it denied me an opportunity I earned.
With the election of Mayor AC Wharton Jr., Memphis has a window of change and an opportunity to launch a riskier, more honest conversation on race, one that simultaneously upgrades workforce quality and engages citizen problem-solvers.
African Americans and European Americans need to meet and openly air their challenges and grievances. This exercise should be used to develop a new generation of business and political leaders who are empathic listeners, dynamic problem-solvers, culturally literate negotiators and managers capable of transforming diversity into a high-performing asset that works for – not against – Memphis.
Next time, Mr. Mayor, hold a listening exercise, instead of a dialog. Bring black leaders and white leaders together in a room. Close and lock the doors. Then give the white and black leaders 30 minutes to make a presentation. The blacks speak while the whites listen. The whites speak while the blacks listen. At the end, members of both groups get to ask questions – for clarification. Nobody gets to make statements. Then, put the blacks and whites in separate groups and ask them to write down what they heard. Ask each group to meet for six weeks to identify ways they can resolve the OTHER group’s issues.
That’s a start of a culturally competent dialogue that, if managed well, can open the door wider to economic and political inclusion, where every Memphian gets to fully develop his or her talents and contribute to the tax base. In a city with a high crime rate and unemployment, that’s an investment worthy of consideration.
After the cosmetology school investigation ended, my colleague, Karanja A. Ajanaku, and I ended up with a series of page one stories that then-Tennessee Sen. Howard Baker later read into the Congressional Record.
But the confidence I gained – and the thrill of overcoming racial adversity – was the greater prize. A few weeks after the story was published, I would pick up the phone again, and hear that beauty school owner on the line.
“You did a good job,” he told me. “If I ever have another difficult story, I am going to call the newspaper and ask them to assign a black reporter.”
Sure, we had our challenges finding that common ground – and more than a few terrifying ups and downs along the way. As the beauty school owner and I broadened our cultural skill sets, the entire community benefited from our mutual investment.
Think how rich Memphis could be if its complex relationships with race produced a handsome rate of return every day.
RX for change
Memphis is a city with a rich history but an uncertain future as crime, unemployment, evictions and poverty are taking a heavy toll in our community. Today, the Tri-State Defender launches a series – “Rx for Change” – that allows everyday people a chance to comment on our region’s potential and present road map. How do we get where we need to go? This is a chance for the people on the frontlines to speak to the decision-makers.
We begin with Linda S. Wallace, a former journalist for The Commercial Appeal, who came back to Memphis for several months this spring and has remained a regular contributor to the Tri-State Defender. Wallace is a journalist-turned-diversity strategist. She has written a national column on race, the Cultural Coach, and conducted training programs for clients ranging from police to military to corporate institutions. She is working on a book, “Lessons from the Dog Park.”
Contributions to “Rx for Change” are welcomed. We want to hear from teachers, parents and students about education, ex-offenders and police officers about crime and voters about politics. We invite you into the fold of citizen journalists as we look for fresh ideas and new ways to move Greater Memphis forward.
Send articles of 750 words or less to Karanja A. Ajanaku, executive editor, at kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com or mail them to Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Ste. 200, Memphis, TN 38103-3727. Please include your name, address and a telephone number where you can be contacted. If your article is selected for publication, we will call you.