What is Anti-Racism Training?
In this article, you will find:
What is Anti-Racism?
Anti-racism is an active effort to stamp out racism and racial discrimination.
Being anti-racist is more than not being racist. It requires intention and action. It works to challenge and address systemic inequality, bias, and power dynamics that disadvantage groups of people because of race.
Purposefully engaging in anti-racism means recognizing and addressing the ways in which individuals, institutions and societies contribute to racial disparities and working to change these injustices.
Anti-racism students require self-awareness, education, advocacy and allyship.
What is Anti-Racism Training?
Anti-racism training draws a clear and nuanced connection between history of racism and systemic racism still present in society today. It looks at past examples of policies and practices founded in racism that continue to impact people today.
This training creates awareness about racism as we work towards building inclusive and equitable workplaces, organizations and communities. It also involves learning and reflection. Discussion builds towards action, providing tools to challenge bias and discrimination.
In the past, discussions on race were the domain of universities, think-tanks and non-profits. That has changed as business leaders are now engaging in the conversation and investing in anti-racism education, as noted by HBR’s article U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism.
How Does Racism Affect the Workplace?
Below are specific data points on why it’s important to learn about racism and mitigate it’s negative affect in the world:
Wage Gap: Black men earn approximately 71 cents for every dollar earned by White men, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Discrimination Claims: According to the Equality Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the US, about 33% of all discrimination claims were race-related, making it the most common form of workplace discrimination.
Underrepresentation: As of 2020, only 3.2% of senior leadership roles were held by Black professionals in the U.S., according to the Center for Talent Innovation.
Job Applications: Resumes with "White-sounding" names receive 50% more callbacks than identical resumes with "Black-sounding" names, according to an often-cited study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Microaggressions: Around 58% of employees belonging to minority groups report experiencing microaggressions in the workplace, according to a Harvard Business Review article.
Workforce Diversity: Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians, according to a McKinsey & Company report.
Goals of Anti-Racism Training
Driven by a commitment to justice, equity and inclusion, anti-racism training aims to address systems that disadvantage and discriminate against people because of race.
Learn to Make Change
Anti-racism training helps participants understand how to recognize racism, when and how to push for systems change, and how to be an ally.
Through understanding of past and current examples of racism present in society in our official rules (like laws) and in everyday ways of doing things, participants learn how to identify racism and how to work towards change.
Understand the Role of Oppression in Racism
Participants will gain insight into the concept of oppression: systems and structures that disadvantage and discriminate against certain groups on factors such as race.
Attendees will develop a deeper awareness of the far-reaching impact of oppressive structures, and be able to recognize various systems that continue inequality and marginalization.
Explore How Inaction Today Upholds Systemic Racism
Real-world case studies and thought-provoking discussions help participants understand the ongoing presence of racism in modern society. They will learn how passive inaction inadvertently sustains systemic racism, and the need for active engagement and change.
How to Remove Racist Policies & Practices
Ultimately, the overarching goal of anti-racism training is to contribute to systemic change and institutional reform.
By learning what policies, practices, and structures that perpetuate racism, and how change can be affected, individuals can advocate for institutional reforms that lead to more equity and inclusion.
How Individual Actions at Work Can Affect Change
Through a review of actionable strategies and practical scenarios, participants will learn how to proactively promote anti-racist behavior in their workplaces.
They will leave with a toolkit of concrete steps they can take to challenge bias, foster inclusivity, and contribute to a culture of respect and equity.
How Anti-Racism Training Makes an Impact
Example Scenario:
Emily, a project manager at TechCo Inc., was becoming increasingly concerned about the high turnover rates among her minority team members. Concurrently, the HR department had also noticed a trend of heightened attrition among minority employees across the company.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, HR enlisted the help of external diversity and inclusion experts to implement a robust anti-racism training program. They offered a blend of workshops and digital courses that covered everything from tackling unconscious bias to understanding the systemic roots of racism.
Results:
Emily felt more equipped to facilitate candid discussions about race within her team, whereas she previously shifted the conversation away from such a sensitive topic. She noticed an increase her team’s cohesion as they were more proactive in supporting each other, and found she didn’t have to spend so much time hiring.
The HR department measured their Net Promoter Score internally before and after the DEI initiatives were implemented. In addition to the NPS score rising, they noted a correlating decrease in attrition, which they were able to provide senior leaders with a definitive return on the investment.
Learn how HomeStars increased their eNPS score after working with us! READ THE CASE STUDY
Organizations Investing in Anti-Racism Training
Starbucks
In 2018, Starbucks closed more than 8,000 of its stores for an afternoon to conduct racial-bias training for nearly 175,000 employees. This action came after the arrest of two Black men in a Philadelphia Starbucks, which caused public outrage and calls for a boycott.
Google has long invested in diversity and inclusion programs, including anti-racism training. The company has faced scrutiny for its demographic makeup and subsequently increased efforts to diversify its workforce, as stated in their 2020 public commitment.
Salesforce
Salesforce has invested in creating a Racial Equality and Justice taskforce that includes anti-racism and inclusion training. They offer these resources not only to their employees but also make many of them publicly available.
Who is Anti-Racism Training Designed for?
Anti-Racism Training is considered TRAIL-BLAZER TRAINING because it:
Expands upon earlier advanced courses detailing DEI’s role in the workplace.
Dives deeper into the broader mechanisms of people and systems.
Targets an audience that wants to explore and challenge historical concepts of race.
Comparing Anti-Racism Training Methods
Anti-Racism Workshop
Overview: Traditional in-person workplace session
Group Size: Limited capacity, best for small groups
Duration: Half or full day workshops
Cost: Starts at $10,000 and can range to $50,000+ for well-known speakers
Online Anti-Racism Training
Overview: Popular in small hybrid/remote teams and large companies
Group Size: Unlimited participants, good for sharing recording for future learning
Duration: One to two hour sessions
Cost: Ranges from $2,500 - $5,000 depending on customization needed
Anti-Racism e-Learning Course
Overview: Module based self paced learning, often with compliance component
Group Size: Individual education that can be scaled as organization requires
Duration: 1 month course individually or 1 year as part of other training
Cost: From $1 / user per month
Further Resources About Racism
Schedule an Anti-Racism Training consultation for your organization.
Learn the difference between Covert vs Overt Racism
Check out the Guardian’s anti-racist reading list
Browse Time’s list of books on anti-racism
Listen through our list of 7 Podcasts on Racism