Yesterday was Juneteenth, the holiday honoring in 1865 the end of slavery in the United States. Yesterday was the 10-year anniversary of my daughter’s adoption day (see pic of us here).

Both significant days for us as a multi-racial and trans-racial adoption family – and for me as a Leadership Coach. Racial equity and inclusion is paramount in all that I do.

Wow, that’s a lot of racial-ness I mentioned there, huh….

Many people may want to stop reading right there and might ask:  Why do you have to focus on race? Why is this holiday and acknowledging skin color important?

Disclaimer: Before I learned about all this I was NEVER into history or honestly thought it was all that important (I know, I’m sorry history buffs and teachers, you can throw the book at me!)

But I have learned and know more now and as Maya Angelou once eloquently said: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”.

If you don’t know or get the meaning of Juneteenth, or think it’s just for African Americans to celebrate, I invite you into learning with 3 steps and resources below to connect with its importance for our country, your work, family and community of relationships with those that have a different skin color.

My Learning Journey

Before I outline actions, I have to share a few tidbits about my own journey of learning that showed me how CRITICAL it is to see racial differences and learn about the history of it all.

18 years ago, well before I adopted my daughter, during a Gestalt consulting leadership training experience, I had what I call THE FRYING PAN MOMENT.

I literally felt like someone smacked me over the head hard with a frying pan!! I was dizzy with emotional overwhelm and my head was exploding with realizations of things I NEVER KNEW or saw that black people experienced.

Five years after that I went to indigenous Africa and had a mind, body, spirit immersion experience that flipped everything I knew about the world upside down.

Then later I fostered and adopted my girl Kenya above and had to get lots of training, education and advice to learn about African American history, culture, lifestyle, hair and racism so that I could properly support and raise my girl.

Now I coach leaders of all races, cultures and differences and have learned how to facilitate open, inclusive and brave conversations that are transformational.

My learning has not stopped, it will be life-long, so I’ve learned to embrace the process.

What’s Your Learning Journey?

If you are on a learning journey too, here are my 3 L steps that I offer to support you:

1. LISTEN – Engage with and develop authentic connections with those different from you by compassionate listening to their stories and experiences. Get curious, validate their experiences and do not negate, debate or diminish the pains of their past or their ancestors.

2. LEARN – Educate yourself on the true history of this holiday, slavery, racism through the eyes of black people who lived it. I know it’s very unpleasant and uncomfortable. If you are white, you do not have to feel blame or shame, you can just learn the truth and let it move and inform you.

3. LOVE and LEAN into differences – Instead of ignoring or avoiding differences or being color blind, get curious and lean into conversations with others that have a different skin color. See my blog I wrote for #A Human Workplace about how to do this: Color Mindfulness: Honoring and Valuing Our Skin

Resources to Learn More

History of Juneteenth – What Is Juneteenth? | HISTORY

Why Not to be Color Blind and How to be Color Mindful – The blog I wrote for #A Human Workplace and with my friend Wil Johnson –   Color Mindfulness: Honoring and Valuing Our Skin — A Human Workplace (makeworkmorehuman.com)

How to Create Brave Spaces for Inclusion and Race Conversations – My blog and video Do you create BRAVE spaces? – Breakthrough Partners and 11 steps for leaders blog with my friends at a #Center for Loving Workplace Brave Spaces: 11 Steps Towards Inclusive and Respectful Work Environments | LinkedIn

May we keep learning and honor the history of the FREEDOM and RIGHTS for black people that they so deserve so that we can all live out our purpose together in this country.

With love, freedom and honor for all,

Jen Todd