Iron Sharpens Iron
By Nyles Pollonais
We must stay sharp when it comes to issues of social justice. I choose to disembark from the term “woke.” I say “sharp” because people of various backgrounds can and do sometimes need to re-engage with the latest research material at hand. They, too, can be decisive and effective in their participation — even though our lived experiences can often become material/research.
I step away from the term woke because it’s lost its original sociopolitical definition as someone who is enlightened. It has become a catch-all for white liberals who feel the need to dismantle the systems their forefathers have built, burdened by a sense of guilt or realization that this world doesn’t serve them as they thought it should.
Staying sharp requires those on the forefront of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA) work be cautious and critical of certain ideas that seem amicable at first, but after further review reveal themselves to be dangerous. I speak freely across my various professional, personal, and academic experiences when I say I have encountered these opinions many times. It can make a DEIA professional doubtful and even self-critical to the point where they begin to question themselves on the stance they’ve chosen.
For example, during a recent discussion with a team I was a part of, someone mentioned we should avoid “preaching” or giving out information about DEIA topics to our core audience that could be seen as unnecessary or condescending — essentially anything too radical. Avoiding “preaching” and embracing “teaching” was the sentiment the team was convincing me to move with. Explaining that idea in-depth, it was suggested that we should embrace all viewpoints, teach the basics of conversation, and encourage forward discourse on various topics.
While the overall idea seems acceptable and even progressive at first, it allows for the continuation of harmful perspectives and ideas to spread and even be accepted and allowed under the guise of free speech.
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Let me leave this here, because I do not want to be attacked by conservatives in the future — I am all for free speech. This writing is an exercise in free speech within itself. That being said, with great freedom comes responsibility, and taking advantage of our freedoms to perpetuate harmful ideologies places the freedoms of those who are affected by these ideologies in harm’s way.
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In DEIA work, we encourage free speech and for individuals to speak their minds. We encourage the ability to have a discussion and for learning on all sides. However, there is a certain attitude that must be had before engaging with people and ideas. One person cannot maintain the idea that they are better than another, beit by race, class, gender, religion, etc. and still hope to gain or offer insight. Leave the hierarchy at the door. Mind you, intellectually, this is not the same thing as becoming subservient to opinion, rather this is taking a step back to be open and attentive. Essentially, viewing the humanity of the other is the key here: tolerance, but more... To truly be a champion of opinion in a space like this means the teacher/student/boomer participant not only speaks from opinion or perception but also uses fact and research to strengthen their argument.
In spaces that engage in DEIA work to serve mostly cis-het-white men (and those who subscribe to the imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchal system), this can be a challenging feat, but not an impossible endeavor. For this work to be done in professional spaces, tolerance, humanity, learning, and relinquishing of hierarchical standards is key to progress and productivity. No, we cannot just check the box by going to the diversity seminar. We all must start from a tabula rasa and apply the facts to the current system that we are in at the moment. Critical theory.
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For clarification, it does not make one a complete malefactor for wanting to teach or encourage well-meaning conversation, but attempting to disengage from certain topics for the sake of safety or comfort for the relative oppressor means that we are not doing the work of DEIA justice.
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What DEIA work truly is, at its core, is resistance. It is a resistance to the structures in place, and to be quite specific resistance causes friction. Furthermore, when DEIA work is not at the core of the structure of the company or organization, the work will always be seen as additional, circumstantial, extracurricular, costly, and ultimately an unnecessary process that only serves to benefit the public opinion of the group. And, in a capitalist structure, it must be noted that anything that does not serve to increase the potential of profit is a liability.
However, I offer a keen insight into the capitalist critique of DEIA work. Eventually, avoiding DEIA work in companies will not only become uncouth, but also unprofitable, according to Mickensey&Company’s 2015 report, Diversity Matters:
““The analysis found a statistically significant relationship between a more diverse leadership team and better financial performance. The companies in the top quartile of gender diversity were 15 percent more likely to have financial returns that were above their national industry median. Companies in the top quartile of racial/ethnic diversity were 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their national industry median. Companies in the bottom quartile for both gender and ethnicity/race were statistically less likely to achieve above-average financial returns than the average companies in the dataset (that is, they were not just not leading, they were lagging).” ”
Essentially, what looks to companies today as unnecessary or extra work, will soon become the profit-centered focus in years to come. Wouldn’t it behoove any company or organization to position themselves ahead of the curve, to capitalize on gaining the market share before the tides turn, and all the top talent has been sourced? “Diversity programmes give companies an advantage in competing for the best talent—an advantage that is growing as workforces in many advanced economies become more ethnically diverse as a result of immigration and birth-rate demographics.” (Reflecting Social Change, 10)
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Working in a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access environment requires that participants stay sharp and the company or organization who has contracted this group maintains its commitment to DEIA by placing it adjacent to profitability. Complacency in the namesake or the “tradition’ of the organization alone would result in its implicit destruction. Being progressive does not only address social cues, but it can increase profitability in the long run. Stay sharp.
Meet the Writer
Nyles Pollonais graduated from The University of Michigan in 2021 with a Masters of Arts in Design and Technology for Learning. He is a writer, entrepreneur, musician, and future educator who spends most of his time focusing on content creation and current events. He is currently developing his digital presence and promoting his first EP titled “First,” streaming soon on all platforms.
