Justice for All: My Antiracism Plan Update

The value that drives much of my mission and purpose is Justice.

I started my company, Bright Space Coaching, in 2016 because I was frustrated with the lack of women leaders in my workplaces. I was enraged that men consistently make more money than women, even with comparable education and experience. And I was determined to make a difference. I wanted justice for women everywhere.

Only back then, I didn’t include Black women. Sure, Black women attended my small group workshops and were part of my Lean In Circle, and Black women were represented in the photos on my website.

But if I’m honest with myself, I didn’t always think about how Black women’s experience of leadership in the workplace differed from mine. I just thought of “women in general.” I didn’t differentiate between race or ethnicity or sexual orientation or gender identity or ability. I didn’t ask my Black friends about their experiences or opinions of their work environment.

I thought I was being inclusive thinking “when I say, ‘women,’ I mean all women.” I thought I was being inclusive in having diverse women pictured on my website.

Over the last few years, I’ve learned that it’s not enough to generalize the experience of women. Every woman has a different experience and a different perspective of the workplace, and Black women don’t always have the same opportunities available to them as white women.

And I learned that true Justice begins when you look at and acknowledge what is. Justice starts with owning your part of injustice and committing to change from there.

I didn’t always up to my core value of Justice, but I’m determined to do better.

Last year, I committed to creating an antiracist organization. I created an Antiracism Plan and defined my core values so I can be explicit in what I stand for.

And because there’s no growth without progress, I’m sharing an update today. I don’t believe in writing a plan or strategy, posting it once and forgetting about it. My Antiracism Plan was an actionable strategy that I commit to daily.

Creating an equity-centered coaching business is my single, most important priority, and I’m reaffirming my commitment to serving you in an inclusive, purpose-driven way.

Here’s an update on my 2020 Antiracism Plan:

1. I will continue reading, following, and learning from BIPOC authors, creators, and educators (about all topics, not just social justice). I’ll also continue to consciously consume media content from BIPOC creators, rather than content that only centers white voices. This is something I’ve personally been conscious of over the last few years, and I plan to make an even stronger effort to seek out BIPOC voices.

My Progress: I’ve become even more conscious of inequity in the media, and I make a point to call out (even if it’s just to my husband) when a TV show or movie missed an opportunity to center a BIPOC or LGBTQ+ perspective or actor. I also make a point to call out when entertainment does include these voices. I continue to learn from two of my favorite teachers, Trudi Lebron and Rachel Ricketts by purchasing their workshops, courses and books.

Here are some of the books I’ve enjoyed in the last year:

• The Calling by Rha Goddess

• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• Dear Ijeawele by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• Inclusify by Stefanie K. Johnson, PhD

• The Son Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton

• On My Own Two Feet by Manisha Thakor, MBA, CPA

• Living Presence by Kabir Helminski

• Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

2. I will be conscious of where my personal spending is going. If there is a BIPOC-owned alternative to something I want to purchase, I will take the time to do my research and purchase from BIPOC-owned companies. I realize it’s a luxury and a privilege to take the easy road and buy from Amazon. Websites that will facilitate this process are: WeBuyBlack, The Black Wallet, Five Fifths, and Official Black Wall Street.

My Progress: I have to admit, I haven’t done well with this. During the pandemic, it was often easier to find what I needed from Amazon, Thrive Market, or my local grocery stores. It was easy to support Black-owned restaurants in my area, and I made that a priority. In the next year, I’m setting a goal to be even more intentional about where I spend my money. I will commit to doing better and taking the time to research Black-owned businesses.

3. I will continue to have uncomfortable conversations with family, friends, and strangers if I come across something that I feel is racist or biased.

My Progress: Because I speak out about racism and oppression in my weekly emails, I sometimes get responses back from people who obviously have not awakened to the reality of white supremacy. While I believe everyone is on their own journey, I will still take a moment to educate them (in a compassionate, polite way) about why their views are harmful. I can’t say that I’ve had the impact I’d like (mostly because I don’t know what they’ve done after our conversations), but at least I’m getting more and more comfortable with those uncomfortable conversations. They’re not easy, but I feel aligned when I speak up for what’s right.

4. My preferred gender pronouns have been added to my website, email signature, and social media profiles. While this isn’t explicitly an anti-racist strategy, it’s an important step to creating an environment of inclusion and belonging, especially as it relates to intersectionality.

My Progress: This is done! In this next year, I plan to take this to the next level by using more inclusive language throughout my website, blogs, course content, and emails. I get a lot of emails from folks saying, “I’m a man – is that okay?” One, of course it is! And two, while my BSAG (Big, Scary, Audacious Goal) is about closing the global gender pay gap and increasing the number of women in leadership and government positions, anyone can benefit from what I teach. Plus, we need men to serve as allies and provide openings for women to have mentors, sponsors, and other opportunities to boost their careers.

5. I will not speak at an event (digital or in-person) that doesn’t make a significant effort to highlight BIPOC voices. If I am asked to speak at an event that doesn’t highlight BIPOC voices, I will educate the event host about why I am declining their offer and how they can do better. 

My Progress: I spoke at two virtual summits in the past year, and both were conscious of including a diverse panel of speakers. It was a great experience, and I was honored to be included with such an amazing group of professionals! I will continue to commit to this intention this year.

6. I will continue to prioritize hiring BIPOC women and BIPOC owned- or led-businesses. While I don’t currently have any employees, I do prioritize purchasing services (e.g. photography, graphic design, stock images) from BIPOC and women business owners. Over the last few years, I’ve been grateful to work with the amazing women at Styled Stock Society, Blue Check Marketing Studio, Shala W. Graham Photography, and Laurentina Photography. As my company grows and I hire additional contractors or employees, I commit to continuing to prioritize hiring BIPOC women.

My Progress: I continue to support the organizations listed above, and I hired a Pinterest Virtual Assistant this year, Lucille van Ommeren-Kerman from Anastasia’s Words! As I continue to grow my business, I will prioritize collaborating with and hiring a diverse workforce.

7. I will continue to use my platform to speak about social justice on an ongoing basis, especially as it pertains to gender equity, anti-racism and oppression. I will focus on including data on the global gender gap for all BIPOC women, not just data on white women or averages of all races. We will not have gender equity until we have racial equity. I will prioritize listening and learning before contributing to the conversation.

My Progress: This has been updated on my website. I also continue to speak about current events, as they pertain to DEI and social justice, in my weekly emails. I believe that we all have a role to play in creating an equitable world. I intend to learn more about how I can contribute to educating my white peers, while continuing to center those who have devoted their life work to studying and teaching DEI.

8. I will continue learning how I can create an inclusive, culturally sensitive environment that embraces the nuances of diversity instead of leading from an unconscious lens. I will continue to refer to Trudi Lebron’s “Show Up and Serve for White Coaches,” and Rachel Ricketts’ “Spiritual Activism 101 + 102” to assist me in this, as well as seek out training and education from BIPOC educators.

My Progress: The courses above have been essential in my growth as the leader of an antiracist organization. I continue to learn from both of these important leaders. I am excited to learn more from Rachel’s new book, Do Better (buy it here!). I am also a founding member of Trudi’s Equity-Centered Coaching Collective, where each month I participate in live group workshops and weekly learnings, reflections, training, and conversations with other members. It’s been an amazing way to learn together with other members and work toward making an even bigger impact in my business.

9. I will continue to support organizations that work to improve the lives of BIPOC with my time, talents, and treasure. I currently support Women for Women International and Empowered Women International and have recently included the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund to my personal monthly donations.

My Progress: I continue to support these three important organizations. My goal this year is to donate a percentage of my revenue from my online courses (coming soon!) to these organizations so they can continue impacting lives and changing the world.

10. I will expand my Woman for Woman mission to include scholarships for online courses, workshops, or other coaching programs. Scholarships will enable more women from around the world to participate in the programs and resources that will help them find and live their purpose.

My Progress: Last year was a year of learning, growth and stability for me, so I didn’t create any new courses. Instead, I took time to build a strong foundation with my business, rooted in an equity-centered approach. This year, I’m working on launching a few upcoming courses, and as part of my mission, I will provide scholarship opportunities for women who cannot afford these programs. I believe in the power of coaching and in the frameworks and systems I teach. I also believe that this information has the power to create a ripple effect on the world, so it shouldn’t be limited to only those who have the financial means to participate.

The Takeaway

I’m proud of the progress I’ve made in the last year of becoming an equity-centered coach, and I know I have a lot more to learn! I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to learn, grow and serve my community in a more inclusive way. My commitment to being an antiracist organization is more solid than ever. I truly believe that a better world is one with more women in leadership positions and where women make more money, but that’s not possible without ALL women. I’m here to do my part to center Black and brown voices. Women, standing together, is what will change the world.

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