Dear White Leaders:

I do not want this opportunity to slip away. We are at a point in history that I believe can lead to substantial and sustainable change. This means that it has to be more than words, more than performative activism or performative allyship. You as a White leader need to find the fortitude and courage to lead.

Some time has passed since the murder of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Yet, things still feel the same. I had hoped that after these murders things would get better and sustainable change would begin to happen in many of your organizations. During that time we saw protests happening across our county, and we saw many of our corporate and institutional leaders make strong statements in support of Black Lives Matter and commitments that their organizations would make substantial and sustainable changes. Many of them made individual commitments that they personally would make an effort to change.

The reality is that we saw what has become to be known as performative activism, which by the Wikipedia definition is “activism done to increase one’s own social capital rather than one’s own commitment to a cause.” Another name for it is performative allyship, “someone who professes support or solidarity with a marginalized group in a self-serving way.” If you would like to read more about performative allyship you can read Holly Phillip’s blog post.

I do not want this opportunity to slip away. We are at a point in history that I believe can lead to substantial and sustainable change. This means that it has to be more than words, more than performative activism or performative allyship. You as a White leader need to find the fortitude and courage to lead.

This is my call to the White leaders I know and the others who may read this post. I have to say what you already know: LEADERSHIP IS HARD! We did not choose leadership because it was easy. For many of us, it chose us; we made the decision to step into the roles we serve. This really takes work, just like the work you undertook to be in the roles you are today:

• Countless hours of leadership workshops

• Seeking out professional mentors

• Seeking out sponsors

• Hiring professional coaches

Doing this work and getting better at it is not something to be achieved, a box to check. It takes a lifelong commitment, just like leadership development:

• Being teachable

• A posture of learning

• A posture of humility

• Being comfortable with being uncomfortable

I am calling you out as a leader and at the same time calling myself out. Like you, I have work to do. I need to get better at this as well.

Are you ready?

If you are not, I have this to say: get out of the way and let others lead. But if you are, undertaking the work of developing yourself as a leader in this area will be rewarding. In my coaching practice I am working with White leaders that are serious about doing this work and want the accountability that it will take. My hope in writing this is that you too will want the same and take the next step. If you are interested in developing yourself further as a leader in this area I recommend you take my course. Moving from Cultural Competency to Cultural Humility.

We seek to listen, bring clarity, provide support: Apoyo Coaching