“Racism unfairly disadvantages individuals and communities and undermines realization of the full potential of the whole society through a waste of human resources.” – Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown
Many assume that racism ended with slavery, but the sad truth is that racism is embedded in the very DNA of our country. So how do we confront and dismantle racism? Our guest this week on A Seat at the Table is Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown, a racial equity consultant who specializes in organizational transformations. Dr. Brown defined both racism and anti-racism as a starting point for this work.
Listen as Gerry and Dr. Brown discuss the different types of racism, how failure to be an anti-racist organization affects the bottom line, and why the idea of colorblindness is harmful. This episode is for any organization looking to take on anti-racism as a practice to strengthen their company.
- (00:40) - Pay attention to race in the beginning
- (04:06) - Race Prejudice + Power
- (09:15) - Defining anti-racism
- (10:05) - Serious implications
- (13:31) - Clear case to take on race
- (17:12) - Training and education
- (18:15) - Facing challenges
- (19:40) - Anti-black racism
- (23:05) - First steps
- (26:26) - Do your own work
MFHA thanks Kellogg’s Away From Home in supporting this "A Seat at the Table" podcast episode.
Kellogg’s Away From Home is here to help you create cravings that keep customers coming back. Learn more at kelloggsawayfromhome.com.
Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown leads the organizational development consulting firm, Kerry Mitchell Brown Consulting, which helps leaders and organizations solve complex organizational and people challenges that interfere with strong, sustainable results and long-term organizational health. Dr. Brown has extensive experience in racial equity, organizational transformations, and leadership development, and has supported numerous organizations center and prioritize ending racism, specifically anti-Black racism in analysis and courses of action.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net.
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Podcast episode production by Dante32.
