A big part of being an Ally is education, spending time and resources to educate yourself and your team. We have a list of our top 3 Diversity and Inclusion books you’ll want to read. We recommend you read any of the books on our list to learn how to navigate race, gender, age, physical ability, religion, and sexual orientation inthe workplace. It is everyone’s responsibility to be an agent of change at home, communities and in the workplace. We recognize that every person should be informed and educated on how they can be a more inclusive and equitable leader.
- We Can’t Talk about That at Work!: How to Talk about Race, Religion, Politics, and Other Polarizing Topics by Mary-Frances Winters
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias: How To Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection, and Create High-Performing Teams by Pamela Fuller, Mark Murphy, and Anne Chow
Many people at work stay clear from conversations with polarizing topics, in fear that they may offend or say the wrong thing. However, in 2022 the moment you don’t say anything at all is a form of discrimmination and racism. We Can’t Talk about That at Work! makes the case for talking about these subjects with tact rather than skirting the subject. Mary-Frances Winters argues that it is not what we talk about, but how we talk about it that matters. We Can’t Talk about That at Work! Is a guide on how to have inclusive conversations that find common ground and heal invisible divides in the work world.
Notable Quote: “Do you experience a sense of fear when engaging in bold conversations? If so, ask yourself, “What am I afraid of?” These questions are relevant whether you are a member of a dominant or non-dominant group.”
Buy We Can’t Talk about That at Work!
So You Want to Talk About Race is one of the best-selling books about diversity. The entire world felt paralized after the many public police brutality deaths that happened in this country and the world. The most known case that mobilized many to talk about race and expose racial injustice was the death of George Floyd. If you are someone that is not well educated and informed on how to talk about concepts such as police brutality, cultural appropriation, affirmative action, intersectionality, and privilege you must pick up a copy of this book. This book does not only give you clarity on how to promote racial justice but on how you can be an ally to the black community.
Notable Quote: “You have to get over the fear of facing the worst in yourself. You should instead fear unexamined racism. Fear the thought that right now, you could be contributing to the oppression of others and you don’t know it. But do not fear those who bring that oppression to light. Do not fear the opportunity to do better.”
Buy So You Want to Talk About Race.
The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias is one of the best diversity books for managers. Managers are such an integral part of building a culture of Inclusion, they can influence hiring decisions and work environments. If a manager does not know potential prejudices it can be costing your company a lot of money and possibly losing great talent.
This book teaches leaders how to recognize and overcome internal influences, improve company culture, empower underrepresented communities, and how they can lead diverse teams.
Notable Quote: “One of the reasons our minds work against self-awareness is because it’s hard to admit that we have areas where we could improve. But when we practice self-awareness, we are constantly becoming more knowledgeable about ourselves. When we build self-awareness, we stop acting automatically and start making better decisions.”
As you continue on the journey of making this world a more equitable place. These are some great resources that can help support and equip you on how you can both advocate and ally for marginalized communities. If you are a person of color, know that these resources can also help articulate your own experiences and can even serve as tools for your own managers, leaders to understand the reality and injustice of what many people still face today.
We have phenomenal authors and speakers we work with to deliver transformative training and resources to companies. If you are interested in hiring a speaker or building an experience that supports these learnings and conversations to happen, email us at contact@notainclusion.com we look forward to seeing how we can amplify this work!