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2 this publication dedicated to all of us who love blackness, Who dare to create in our daily lives Spaces of reconciliation and forgiveness Where we let go past, hurt, fear, shame And be able to hold each other close It’s only in the act of practice Of loving blackness that we’re able to reach out and embrace the world Without destructive bitterness And ongoing collective range
C O N T E N T S
3 Let’s Talk Diversity....... 6 Celebrating Balck Creatives... 10 An Interview With....... 13 Black Hair & Beauty...15 Article: “You’ve posted your black square.. what’s nect?”..... 20
Gen Z: The Voice of Now.... 23 An Interview With....... 26
P A G E
Contributors
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Creative Duo (Artistic Illustrators) CĂŠlia Amroune and Aline Kpade
Content Creator and Researcher Mikai Mcdermott
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Let’s Talk About...
Diversity, we hear that word a lot recently “diversity needs to be in the workplace”, “there needs to be diverse models” or “we’re a diverse team” and many other statements. But what does diversity really mean?
promotion due to wearing a compulsory religious garment is discrimination. Employers must consider the different religions and their sensitivities while framing fair policies and practices (including work
Diversity isn’t exactly a HR topic anymore. It is now a necessity directly impacting organisational competitiveness. The competitive edge that an organisation can gain depends on it’s ability to appreciate numerous dimensions of diversity. Diversity encompasses acceptance and respect, It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. Diversity is now comprehensive in several dimensions: Socio-Cultural Dimension • Caste – Discrimination based on caste permeates the social capital of our complex country. Research2 by Thorat et all indicates statistically that even at the job application stage, names that reveal the candidate’s caste plays a role in the chances of being selected at that stage. Educating the workforce and its decision makers to be mindful of these invisible barriers is required in a rapidly changing diverse workforce. • Religion – Treating an employee unfavourably because of his/her religious beliefs creates a hostile work environment. For instance, an employee not being provided a client facing role or a
timings and holidays) for a diverse and complex workforce. • Language – Using a language (for instance, mother tongue) that some in a mixed cohort do not understand, excludes them from the communication and the opportunity it could entail. Organizations cannot afford this subtle discrimination. Demographic Dimension • Gender: Diversity of thoughts leads to better decision making. The Catalyst study3 showed that companies with the most women board directors perform 16% better than boards with the least women board directors. Men and women deserve equal pay, benefits, and opportunities in the workplace. Allowing sexual harassment, discriminatory comments or actions, creates a toxic and self-destructive workplace
‘Diversity’
Diversity In The Workplace Explained
• Age: The outlook, work style and needs of a multigenerational workforce (primarily Gen X, Gen Y and the Millennials) are varied and must be catered to by organizations. Dispelling age-related stereotypes will allow the efeefective use and flow of potential and talent in an organization that is looking to build diversity at all levels and forms.
• Region of Origin: Like caste, regional identity is a facet of diversity. Large organizations run the risk of internal regional based coteries that exclude others from opportunities. A robust value-based work culture is the antidote.
Diversity in the workplace? now that diversity has been explained in depth previously, what does it mean in the context of the workplace? To put it very simply, diversity in the workplace means that a company hires a wide range of diverse individuals. Diversity is often misconceived as solely multicultural matters, however it also applies to diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, language, educational, background, and so on. In recent years, the topic of diversity and inclusion in the workplace has extended to ensuring that companies increasing the participation, performance and compensation of minorities, not just symbolic hiring in order to ‘tick a box’. More importantly, companies have recognised the huge value that hiring a diverse range of individuals and personalities can add for their business. Workplace diversity is about thriving, not presence
• Physical Disability: Stereotyping the potential of those with physical disabilities often begins at the recruiting stage itself. Respect, physical infrastructure, and equal opportunities are some of the basic expectations of those with physical disabilities. Companies must make its employees aware of the right attitude towards colleagues with physical disabilities.
**Image 1 (Middle Right) artwork by Sacrée Frangine Image 2 (Bottom Left) Pinterest
It’s easy to encourage hiring managers to hire more women or ethnic minorities. It increases the overall diversity of the workplace. But diversity is about increasing people’s actual participation, not just their symbolic participation. So is being granted a position in a company enough to actually achieve equal footing? Well, a study out of the University of Michigan** found that people hired for ‘diversity purposes’ were sometimes seen as less qualified for the position they were hired for. This is why we must think about how we can create environments of equal participation. Technology company Slack highlights that while organisations can change hiring practices to increase the number of employees from under represented groups, the environment must be conducive to these people thriving, not just being hired.
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8 AD/ IMAGE
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CELEBRATING
BLACK
HAIR & BEAUTY
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