We Are Not Your Tokens

Black and Brown—well educated and equipped to take on the world, we leave the cocoons of our formative training and enter into professional spaces where we unearth the secrets of things we were not told during the interview process. We uncover that although values of diversity and inclusion were espoused, we are in fact the only gems labeled as “other” that highlight an erroneous claim that diverse populations are in the fabric of this space. Our eyes widen as we realize that we are being used to perpetuate a false narrative that showcases a flawed effort. And with this revelation we must declare—We are not your tokens! We are professionals who are—degreed, credentialed, and certified. We are highly skilled, exceptionally intelligent, articulate, and astute. We know our value, yet when we step outside the safe havens of our homes and walk into offices laced with politics and outdated assumptions, we are ostracized, isolated, ridiculed, and devalued in the very spaces that claim they value us, oh so much. So I guess you want to be commended for your effort, huh? Nope.

So instead of being “recruitment heavy” but “retention and inclusion poor”, its time for organizations to peel back the layers of their folded pages, and truly ask themselves: “Have we been intentional about examining our efforts to recruit and retain diverse populations in ALL ranks of our organization, or have we been giving lip service to showcase a symbolic appearance that we value and support equality and equity within the workplace but the revolving doors of the very populations we recruit tell a different story?” Organizations have to turn up the heat on the chilly climate that often meets Black and Brown people when they step up on the scene. It’s not enough to be vocal when it’s convenient and trendy. There has to be a systemic effort to dismantle systems, policies, and practices that leave us on the margins. And in this moment, the question that all organizations need to contend with is this: “Will we be inclusive for a moment? OR Will we be inclusive for a lifetime?” The choice is up to you, but know that we will not be the counterfeit coins you clink around on your websites and brochures to say “diversity resides here”. So let the clarion call ring far and wide as we proclaim- “We are not your tokens!”