Episode 122: Diversity & Inclusivity Discussion

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As business owners, it can be scary to be vocal about “controversial” topics. However, it’s important to note that issues like race, diversity, human rights, and social justice are NOT controversial. They are incredibly important to recognize, talk about, and continue to educate ourselves on. We’ve always spoken the importance of letting your values show in your business, and standing up for what you believe it. With the current climate, it’s even MORE so. We looked around recently & realized our photography community here in San Diego is VERY predominantly white. We’ve joined the conversation on ways to fix that, but honestly, we didn’t really know the right way to go about it. And, we figured, as 2 white people, we definitely are not qualified to lead this discussion. We brought in Renata Williams of Lebanon Valley College & Faith Tiemann of SUNY Oneonta to help us break down exactly HOW to have conversations about diversity, be more inclusive, & talk about race in general. Here are a few of our favorite questions we discussed in this episode. Be sure to download the episode to hear more!

 

• How can a predominantly white industry (photography or any other) be more inclusive, act more inclusive, and move forward with inclusivity without making those they include feel like a token, or like the only reason they have been brought “into the fold” is because of their race?The first step is to be willing to have these tough conversations. When businesses are willing to talk about this and figure out solution, it opens the door to inclusivity. We have to do actual, intentional work to make sure we are not avoiding this conversation. We have to be willing to lose a little of our bottom line, and clients who are on the wrong side of history, in order to make others feel welcome. If a client unfollows you or stops booking you because you’re vocal about these issues, they’re not your people.
• How much is too much for a white person? Like when does it begin doing more harm than good? And how can we be mindful of that when posting on social media?When it becomes inauthentic, it’s gone too far. It’s always a good idea to do a gut check & make sure what you’re posting is not performative. You have to back it up with actual work & actions. Take the conversation off Facebook & bring it to other places like your family dinner table, friend hangouts, etc. Be mindful that you’re not immediately shutting down the conversation before it can even begin. This conversation is NOT political; it’s about human rights.
• How can white people be allies?It’s important to speak up, not over. Amplify black voices, and utilize Google when you have questions, instead of asking friends who might not feel like discussing it at the moment. Renew your allyship DAILY. The discussions you have, the stores you shop at, the behaviors you interrupt are IMPORTANT. Be an “aspiring” ally. Understand that there is ALWAYS more to learn & ALWAYS more work to be done. Make sure to eliminate microaggressions from your vocabulary.
• What’s the best way to seek out diversity? Specifically, when it comes to model calls for various ads & companies?Be transparent about who you’re looking for & why. Be sure the company you’re working for is seeking diversity for the RIGHT reasons, and not just tokenizing a certain race. What are the motives behind the images? How will they be used? What is the company doing BEYOND just photographs to promote diversity & inclusion? Also, be aware that not everyone is going to be welcoming to this concept, and that’s okay. They are entitled to their own opinions on whether or not they’d like to participate in this.
• A lot of people resist saying anything because they’re afraid they’ll say the wrong thing. What do we do?You HAVE to say something. You have to be open to being corrected in order to move the needle. It’s important to take risks & step outside of your comfort zone. It’s absolutely imperative to say SOMETHING so it’s clear that you care. You might be wrong, and that’s okay. Like mentioned above, allyship is an ever-evolving concept. It’s okay if friends or family correct you or educate you. It’s also okay to correct or educate others. It opens the lines of communication, and begins important conversations.

We ask a TON more questions & this is one of our longest episodes ever. If YOU want to make a difference financially, here’s a list of Faith & Renata’s chosen funds:

NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund
Equal Justice Initiative

We also suggest checking out the following resources to further educate yourself on these topics:

Books –
How to be an Anti-Racist – Ibram X Kendi
White Fragility – Robin DiAngelo
Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates (really any of his books)
Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria – Beverly Daniel Tatum
Blackballed – The Black and White Politics of Race on Americas Campuses – Lawrence Ross
Podcasts
Pod Save the People – DeRay McKesson, Brittney Packnett Cunningham, Sam Sinyangwe
What a Day – Akilah Hughes, Gideon Resnick
Intersectionality Matters – from The African American Policy Forum – Kimberle Crenshaw
Throughline – NPR
Movies/Shows/Documentaries
13^th
When They See Us
The Hate You Give
Dear White People

This was such an important conversation, and likely the most meaningful episode we’ve ever recorded. We loved chatting with Renata & Faith and we learned SO much. If you’d like to continue the conversation, please be sure to follow Faith & Renata on Instagram & join our community group on Facebook!