I’m risking an unpopular post so lemme start by saying ‘To who the cap fits’ and if it ain’t you, chill 😎
Let’s talk about South Asian anti-racist/inclusion/cultural intelligence specialists and how problematic SOME of us are 👀
Recently, I was at an event all about employee networks and inclusion at work. During a break, I got chatting with another Indian lady who runs a learning & development and inclusion business. We talked a little about how challenging the shifting landscape is. She mentioned that earlier that week, she’d very nearly clinched a contract but at the last minute, the company offered it to a Black woman owned consultancy. She then said:
“If you’re white, you’re already fine. If you’re Black, you’re more likely to get the work. I have to work twice as hard to secure contracts.” Wow 🤦🏽♀️
I’ve heard so many iterations of casual anti-Blackness from South Asians and even from members of my own family:
💡 When talking about the historical intersect between race and faith:
“Christianity was a cruel tool of colonialism but we were simply spreading the word of Islam in Africa.”
💡 When explaining I had to leave an evening event to go do my daughter’s hair before bed:
“Stay longer! I’ve got kids too, what’s so different about her hair that you have to rush back?”
💡 When I was expecting my first child:
“We hope the baby favours you, has good hair and doesn’t have darker skin.”
You see, cos I am one, South Asians often feel comfy casually telling me about their anti-Blackness. But they don’t know who they’re talking to really 👀
A couple of generations of my family were born and raised in Uganda, including my Dad. I lived in Zambia when I was a child. Africa is in my heart. I have read extensively about how millions of Indians got shipped to East Africa and the roles the British and we played in the subjugation of Ugandans in their own country.
My husband of 24 years is a Jamaican Rastaman and we’re avid history lovers. Our son (21) and daughter (13) are Jamaican Indian and as Rasta yout, neither have ever had a hair cut. My stepdaughter is Jamaican Bajan. They are the family I chose, my world 🌍
It’s my duty to do good by them. I do not take my proximity to Blackness as a free pass to absolve myself of any internalised anti-Blackness nor do I expect them to teach me. I actively and consistently do the work to expunge it. I read. I watch. I learn. I integrate. I’m intentional. Because for me, it’s not just a job. It’s about being the best Mother, step-Mother, wife, daughter-in-law etc as I can possibly be. It’s about being there to fight for, advocate, comfort and celebrate my loved ones and friends in the most meaningful ways. And of course, being a better, more inclusive leader and person.
Needless to say, that lady at the event got shut down pretty quick, as did the others.
So if you feel to drop some casual anti-Blackness in my presence, miss me with that and do the work. I’m not the one…
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Isabella is a people-centred, purpose-driven and innovative leader who has enjoyed a rich and varied career that spans private, public and charitable organisations in engineering and technology. She specialises in social impact, youth engagement and development, charity partnerships and humanitarian aid response with her work always grounded on a solid foundation of anti-racism, diversity, inclusion and equity. Check out the Im-Pact Kinship
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