Brands, Performative Allyship, and You

Right after learning about George Floyd’s murder on Tuesday—through tears and a huge lump in my throat—I sent a Slack message to my incredibly thoughtful and supportive manager, Diana Lee (also a woman of color). Here’s what it said: “Did you hear about George Floyd yet? Beyond comprehension. I feel we need to do something right now as an organization.”

Diana quickly replied, “Yes. It's devastating and unbelievable and so hard to stomach. Let’s make a social media statement, make space for this at the town hall meeting tomorrow, offer up the anti-racism resources again that we have been circulating on Slack, and announce that we’d already decided to launch the informal I&D summer discussion sessions* soon too.”

Together (and with support and review from company leadership) we wrote the statement shared on Galileo’s employee-centered social media channels; our marketing team shared similar sentiments on consumer-facing pages.

When I connected with our marketing team, we talked about how (at that point) almost no other brands had made any public statements of support or solidarity. As a Black woman, it was obvious to me why. Most were just doing what they’ve always done—maintaining the status quo by placating their white audiences or customers.

It has always been clear to Black Americans that a sad truth exists in our country: no real change can come—in government, in business, in education—until there is white public outrage.

I’m grateful to work with a team that tries to uphold our inclusion values and chooses to lead, even when it might feel like an unpopular stance by other corporate standards. Not just publicly, but also in launching a meaningful and comprehensive inclusion initiative in 2017. We may not always do it perfectly, but our leadership is committed to continuing our journey.

Relatedly, for someone that values authenticity as much as I do, I’m conflicted watching so many brands now begin to make similar statements over the weekend. I’m going to be honest here—as a Black branding and inclusion professional (and consumer) I’m having a difficult time deciphering between which ones truly support change versus those who might just be engaging in some version of performative allyship. 

The same holds true for individuals. Who’s really in it for the long-haul? What are people doing off of Instagram? Who’s reading about Black history or has watched 13th? Who’s actually having those tough conversations with their racist or uninformed family members? Who's learning what it means to be an accomplice, or is ensuring their non-Black children have books with racially diverse heroes—ones that aren't solely focused on slavery or civil rights? Who’s donating to bail-out funds for protesters? Which white celebrities are posting on social media but turning off the comments so they don’t have to see or engage with any of their bigoted followers? At this revolutionary time and on the first day of Pride Month, it’s crucial we’re all clear on how not to engage in performative allyship. 

It’s my belief that history will always reward those who choose to be bold in favor of what is right.

My advice to brands: don’t wait for public outcry to make your awareness and support of racial justice known to the world, but rather communicate it clearly and frequently so wider audiences can feel more connected to your brand and vision.

Here’s an easy-to-understand example of what I mean: a few years ago, I decided not to follow any brands on social media that don’t have diverse racial and ethnic representation on their pages. I felt that, whether conscious or not, they were sending me the message that my hopes, needs, or perspectives as a Black consumer were simply not on their radar. I’d encourage brands and marketers to always consider the ways they’re sending messages like this to Black America, not just right now when it’s popular to do so. If you don’t have Black or Latinx employees (which is a whole other issue) then be sure you’re dialed into hearing from diverse voices in the branding space.

In the future, when it comes to both brands and personal allyship—I hope it doesn’t take tragic events like these last few weeks to finally capture your attention, trigger your empathy, and spark your action.

*If you’re interested in leading summer discussion sessions in your workplace or family too, Galileo will be using these resources from Brittany Packnett Cunningham.