GA Voting Laws - An Example of How Systemic Racism is Created
A statement from the Diversity Action Alliance President Carmella Glover.
At the Diversity Action Alliance, we are often asked for concrete examples of systemic racism and inequities. The new restrictive voting laws in Georgia are an example of how laws help to create systemic racism in the U.S. Georgia is the most recent state to pass these laws, but several states have already voted them into law or are in the process of doing so.
For a policy to be fair, it must not restrict the ability of any demographic to succeed. Think about it like a sports competition. There is no honor in winning a rigged game or a game with rules created to weed out competition. Both teams should have a level playing field with all the tools needed to participate fairly and an equal chance to win. Systemic inequities result from policymakers creating and upholding regulations that unscrupulously protect their interests. Over time, the systems' foundations become so ingrained that dismantling them takes years of protest, reform, and overhaul.
As always, the DAA encourages our stakeholders to take ACTion against inequities in our society and workplaces. Even if your organization has not publicly opposed the new Georgia Voting Laws, here are four things you can do today:
Educate yourself and then assess why voter suppression laws are so oppressive for people of color and those in low-income communities.
Reach across the table to those whose views might not be the same as yours. Use your superpower as a professional communicator to share factual articles and information to tee up a well-intentioned conversation with someone who you know has opposing views.
Contact your elected officials asking that they vote to pass The John Lewis Voting Rights Act to eradicate voter suppression.
Reflect on your workplace policies that might be biased or inequitable and talk to your HR Business Partner, Talent Acquisition colleagues and other leaders about how to change them.