4 Brilliant Lessons from Dr. Janice Gassam Asare’s Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace
This is #IncreaseDiversity, a weekly newsletter series + Increase Diversity Toolbox sharing best practices for employers who want to learn how to… well, increase diversity. To see previous editions, visit JenniferTardy.com. | IG: @IncreaseDiversity | Increase Diversity - YouTube
JTC News + Events
QUALIFIED DIVERSITY RECRUITER (QDR) “WELCOME TO 2024” SALE | Now until Feb. 1st, receive 50% off ALL 2024 QDR Cohort Seats. REGISTER NOW
INCREASE DIVERSITY™ ROADMAP | The ID Roadmap is a training and consulting program designed to guide workplaces like yours to create a diverse and inclusive environment through diversity recruiting and retention programs. CLICK HERE
INCREASE DIVERSITY™ SUMMIT REPLAY | Our enlightening conference, held on September 14th, 2023, paves the way for a workplace founded on principles of fairness, equality, and authentic understanding. Now, you can experience it on demand. CLICK HERE
NEW + FREE PLATINUM CHECKLIST | We have a NEW, FREE, downloadable CHECKLIST for leaders called Platinum Checklist 2.0: 5 Steps to Increasing Diversity Without Harm. CLICK HERE
At Team JTC, we’re always on the lookout for fresh ideas, analyzing data, and soaking up new knowledge. And the best part? We love sharing these gems with you!
This week, we dove into Dr. Janice Gassam Asare’s Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace. Just finished it, and wow, it’s packed with insights! I’m eager to share four key takeaways from the book that really hit home for our team. And I’m sure they’ll strike a chord with you as well.
The book is a real eye-opener. It delves deep into how white culture and values often take center stage in the workplace, sometimes without us even realizing it. The author doesn’t just point out the problem; she gives us real, actionable ways to build a truly anti-racist organization. It’s a must-read, whether you’re a hiring professional working to increase diversity without harm, a leader, a DEI practitioner, or just someone who’s passionate about making a positive change in corporate America.
The book centers on two major concepts. First, it reveals how our systems, thoughts, and actions, both as individuals and organizations, tend to unknowingly favor whiteness. Second, it shows how moving away from this tendency is crucial and provides a roadmap for this.
This shift can bring incredible benefits to everyone, no matter their background, and help transform systems that cause harm. So, let’s jump into four key lessons from the book that are relevant for increasing diversity and retention, all without doing harm.
Lesson #1: Whiteness Is Not Merely About Your Skin Color—At Least It Didn’t Start That Way
Whiteness, as Dr. Gassam explains, goes beyond the simplistic notion of skin color. Historically, it was a layered concept shaped by societal structures and privileges. Take the Irish in 1800s America: Initially marginalized alongside African Americans, they strategically distanced themselves from ‘blackness’ to align with the dominant white culture, climbing the social hierarchy.
This historical shift shows that whiteness is not just about appearance; it’s a societal construct laden with privileges for those perceived as white. This deep-rooted concept impacts access to opportunities and resources, making ‘whiteness’ a powerful force in our social and institutional fabric.
Lesson #2: Whiteness is Centered in All Spaces: In Workplace Policies, Practices, Systems, Procedures, and Psyches
Dr. Gassam defines “white-centering” as “actions and behaviors that prioritize, uplift, amplify, and venerate white people and the dominant white culture above other cultures and communities” (author’s emphasis). Centering whiteness involves dismissing the voices of other communities in critical settings such as the workplace or policy discussions and assuming that white-favoring or white-originated thoughts, actions, and demands are more significant and deserve more attention.
The author argues that whiteness is centered in many spaces, with a significant impact occurring in the hiring process. “Decentering whiteness in the workplace begins with decentering it in the hiring process,” she highlights.
Whiteness is often centered in various aspects of hiring, such as in job postings that have qualifications irrelevant to the role, and in applicant tracking systems and technologies, among others. Much of this centering occurs due to unconscious biases.
Lesson #3: Not All White People Center Whiteness. Non-White Individuals Can Equally Engage in White-Centering.
Like many of us, the author has encountered many instances of white-centering, even by non-White individuals. She shares several personal experiences where she engaged in white-centering herself. One such instance was when she was advised to steer clear of certain “controversial topics” during her consultation, a suggestion she complied with.
If a White individual consciously chooses not to take advantage of their privilege, they are not centering whiteness. For example, a white manager recognizes that they are more likely to listen to ideas presented by white employees. Aware of this bias, they can make a conscious effort to give equal attention and weight to ideas presented by employees of other backgrounds, especially historically underrepresented employees.
Likewise, when a non-White individual decides to prioritize or validate white experiences and perspectives at the expense of voices from other marginalized groups, they are also participating in the centering of whiteness.
For example, in corporate diversity training, a non-white facilitator repeatedly highlights the achievements and perspectives of white colleagues, while neglecting the contributions and experiences of other marginalized employees. This behavior, despite the facilitator’s own background, unintentionally centers whiteness, overshadowing the diversity of experiences within the group.
Lesson #4: Centering the Most Marginalized Employees in the Workplace is Crucial
The author emphasizes that to achieve an equitable decentering of whiteness, it’s crucial to center the most marginalized and oppressed populations in the workplace. She outlines two key reasons for this approach, utilizing the curb-cut effect and the triage method as analogies.
The curb-cut effect demonstrates that interventions designed to benefit the most vulnerable populations ultimately benefit everyone.
Similarly, she adopts Amira Barger’s analogy of the triage method from healthcare where the most severe cases are prioritized in a hospital. Applied to DEI settings, it suggests that workplace programs, policies, and interventions should be designed with the most marginalized populations in mind. According to the author, this approach not only alleviates the institutional burden but ultimately benefits all employees.
And there you have it, folks—four enlightening lessons (among so many others) that we took from Dr. Janice Gassam Asare’s Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace. Each lesson opens our eyes to the nuances of increasing diversity in ways we might never have considered. From rethinking whiteness to centering marginalized voices, these insights offer a roadmap for creating a more equitable and inclusive work environment that is ready for increased diversity.
Understanding them is crucial, but the real change lies in action. In order to truly increase diversity without harm and achieve equity and inclusion, Dr. Gassam challenges us to move from awareness to accountability, reshaping not just policies, but our very perspectives.
JOIN US IN THE COMMENTS: Now, we’re curious to hear from you! What’s your take on these lessons? What techniques can you share for achieving equity and inclusion? Join the conversation in the comments below and let’s keep learning together.
About the Author
Dr. Janice Gassam Asare, a distinguished organizational psychologist and a LinkedIn Top Voice in Racial Equity for 2022, is celebrated globally for her work in diversity and inclusion, notably recognized by the MIPAD as a Global Top 100 Under 40. An engaging two-time TEDx speaker and author of Dirty Diversity, The Pink Elephant, and Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace, she has also contributed over 400 articles to Forbes and other prestigious publications.
With 12+ years as a racial dialogue educator, Dr. Gassam Asare’s expertise is sought after by top-tier organizations like Google, Amazon, and Yale University, underlining her role as a leading voice in her field.
