Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1276583
industry has not taken huge collective and actionable steps in response to the conversations that have been happening for quite some time. The next step needs to be a quantum leap." LEADERSHIP MUST CREATE A SAFE PLACE FOR CONVERSATIONS. All three experts firmly believe that the initial responsibility for this quantum leap belongs to those in leadership roles. While this is an excellent goal, most studios and production companies are still just out of the starting gate when it comes to racial equity. So when an employee of color mentions their feelings about an issue to a supervisor, the supervisor might not have the resources to know what to do with that kind of information. "What a company needs to do first is empower managers," Creary advises. "I'm not talking about generic unconscious bias training. I'm talking about helping managers develop the skills to be better listeners and providers of support to employees. How do you do this? The same way that you teach them to do their jobs, period." With that in mind, Shaw says, "in order to create change right now in the animation industry, it's essential to hire experts." Creary and Marshall agree that it's necessary to provide specialized training so that when an employee of color does speak up, there is a mean- ingful response. Many white people, Marshall explains, are typically limited when it comes to carrying out conver- sations about race. Unlike most people of color who have been talking about race since childhood, white people generally did not grow up talking regu- larly about the subject. "Language is really powerful," she says. "If you have words for something, you can change people's thinking." There are other reasons for outside facilitators, as well. They indicate that leadership believes in the importance and necessity for change, they don't have a personal stake in a specific workplace, and the conversations that take place won't be a threat to them. One example of how an expert might guide an organization is Creary's RACE framework, which is featured in her article, "How to Begin Talking About Race in the Workplace," published by K@W, The Wharton School's business analysis journal. Creary's framework begins with R: Reduce anxiety by talking about race anyway. She says: "What's important now is that we acknowledge the elephant in the room. The elephant in the room is that the topic of race, and the idea of discussing race, makes people incredibly anxious." Using the first step in the framework, she suggests creating norms such as "practicing respectful engagement" and "listening actively" before the conversations even begin. Next up is A: Accept that anything related to race is either going to be visible or invisible. It is important, Creary writes, to address the following questions: "What do we gain/lose when race is invisible? What do we gain/lose when race is hypervisible?" Step C advises: Call on internal and external allies for help. This can be done by cultivating a network of relationships with people both inside and outside the workplace "who are invested in diversity, equity, and inclusion." Finally, E reminds managers: Expect that you will need to provide some "answers," practical tools, skill-based frameworks, etc. As for where to find those answers, numerous organizations offer guides and workshops, including Race Forward's Building Racial Equity, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Racial Equity Resource Guide. (Most organizations have shifted to online workshops during the pandemic.) DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. At this particular time in history, white colleagues are actively seeking ways to be allies. But these efforts to create conversations around diversity can make colleagues of color feel uncomfortable, no matter how good and sincere the intentions are. Rather than tackling a problem head-on or attempting to organize discussion efforts themselves, white colleagues shouldn't be afraid to ask their supervisors for guidance. As they point out a problem, request tools, and strive to create a safer, more inclusive environment, they should also feel comfortable doing work on their own. Marshall recommends the Alliance of White Anti-Racists Everywhere (AWARE- LA), an organization that hosts a 22 KEYFRAME "In order to create change right now in the animation industry, it's essential to hire experts." – TAYLOR SHAW "The elephant in the room is that the topic of race, and the idea of discussing race, makes people incredibly anxious." – STEPHANIE J. CREARY F E AT U R E