The
Glass House journey is constantly full of surprises, challenges and most of all, opportunities. Whether
I am presenting before a group, delivering a keynote
address or teaching, I can honestly say it's been years since I've been nervous
or unsure. Indeed I get butterflies here and there, but that's good
because it keeps my creative juices flowing.
I never want to get to a point of
being too self-assured.
I
was fairly excited to meet with a particular arts organization in Walnut Creek
for a leadership opportunity. The
meeting was about two weeks ago and I was told in advance that I would be
meeting with the Board President and three Board
Members, and there would be twelve questions prepared for me to answer during this
meeting. This was all very familiar given my experience before groups
over the years.
The
first 15 minutes of the meeting went smooth, at least for me, and then
something very strange happened. Let's just say, it was very strange to
me. The Board President struggled with his next question --- one that was
'not' on the pre-prepared list, and he admitted to
struggling because he
prefaced his statement by saying: "I don't want it to sound racial".
At
that moment, I used my peripheral vision to scan the faces of the other Board
Members who clearly were uncomfortable
and on edge about what their Board President was leading up to. He
continued to struggle and then said, "Walnut
Creek looks like me....older white people. Would you have a challenge with
that?"
I
had about two seconds to have an out-of-body
experience before responding and I never took my eyes off of him since he
started that particular question. The first words out of my mouth were, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing
over and over again and expecting a different result. It is my belief
that this organization has been stagnated with doing the same thing so you have
chosen to take an innovative approach, coupled with the experience you knew I
brought to the table, and hence I am here. So, I think this is a question
for you because clearly you knew who I was before I arrived. Do you have
a challenge with who I am?"
It
would take a thesis statement to tell you the details of the discussion that
followed this extremely disappointing, off-putting, egregious and disrespectful
question from the Board President of this arts organization.
Really? Seriously? Let's not talk about the very obvious -
this man knew that I was a Commissioner for Contra
Costa County Arts & Culture, Board VP for the SF/Oakland Chapter of the
California Diversity Council, and yet he appeared very comfortable in his behavior,
withstanding his 'struggle for words'.
The
next day I received an email requesting a follow-up telephone conversation with
two of the Board Members. On that call,
I was extended an offer to continue the selection process and meet other team
members. After declining that offer, I
suggested they consider governance training for their entire Board and I would
deliver those services, for a fee, given my Board Source Certification in that
area of training. I further shared that I
could tell by the body language and conversation that followed the Board
President's discriminating question to me, that they were aware of the
legalities that could ensue. Proper
governance training may have avoided
such questioning. However, the elephant
in the room is the culture and dated
thinking of the Board President that has been accepted by the group is really
the most damaging to the arts field and it speaks completely against the
milestones that have been in the area of Diversity & Inclusion.
In
2015...the 21st Century....Imagine that!
And go!
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Another case of 'unconcious bias'?
ReplyDeleteSurprises never cease...!
ReplyDeleteFabulously countered my sis and beautifully placed with your response. You know who I am, can you handle that? Ouchie
DeleteThe true test was whether his board demanded at the very least a public apology to you and to them. Better yet, step down as board chair or off the board completely!
DeleteSomeone on his Board needs to speak seriously with him. He should also step down.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to commend you on taking your time and cultivating an appropriate response, which I'm sure is not what he expected. He was waiting on the neck and eye rolls with some snaps or something. Thank you for schooling them in the most appropriate way. Hopefully they take you up on your offer.
ReplyDeleteYour declining their offer to continue the interview process coupled with a recommendation that they get governance training was well-played and pitch perfect! Keep your head up and teach.
ReplyDeleteIn the account you shared, we're talking about the white-normative culture of privilege reflected by the arts org's Board chair. His unskillful framing of his thoughts and comments demonstrates that, within the culture he's used to, wherein he enjoys power and privilege, HE THOUGHT he was being thoughtful and inclusive by raising the issue in the way he did it. Even if we give him the benefit of the doubt of having good intentions, it's clear that he was projecting his own discomfort with you onto you, with the phrasing of his question. He's unaware of his own power and privilege within the culture of that organization, that community, and the larger context of the culture of white, suburban people. When people think they are the it/mainstream/prevailing culture, they want everyone else to fit into it.
ReplyDeleteI so wish that I could think that fast for an appropriate retort!
ReplyDelete