The death of George Floyd has reignited the debate about structural racism and the responsibility of government to ensure all citizens are treated fairly regardless of their skin tone.

To help further the conversation, we asked all Apolitical members to share their tips for how public servants can help tackle racial discrimination and promote equality. Here are the top comments we received, which have been edited lightly for clarity.

If you have concrete ideas and insights about what governments and public servants can do to dismantle the structures of racism, please send your tips and ideas to concierge@apolitical.co. This article will be updated with new answers as they come in.

What public servants can do to tackle racism

I work on Project Race at the UK Department for Education, and my day job is about tackling systemic racism within the department, and empowering leadership to do so as well.

Our department is not unique within the UK context. Regardless of sector, as evidenced by Business in the Community’s Race in the Workplace report, people are simply unable to talk about race. They’ll deviate to conversations on “easier” aspects of identity, like gender, and when you do focus them on race, they become so flustered or upset that they shut down. It’s a real obstacle because you can’t tackle a problem until you have the language for, and can productively discuss, the problem. So we’ve developed a toolkit and run workshops on how to have conversations about race in the DfE that approach discussions in a structured way.

Workplace equality isn't just about implementing procedures to stop workplace discrimination — Nancy Gonio

The second thing we do to tackle racism is that we don’t focus on racial “equality”; we focus on “equity.” We define equality as “treating everyone the same” and equity as “giving people what they specifically need in order to succeed.” To use a crude example: giving a wheelchair to both a person with paraplegia and an able-bodied person is technically equality.

Giving the able-bodied person nothing, and the person with paraplegia a wheelchair, is equity. And while on the surface, giving someone "nothing" and giving someone else "something" seems unfair, it’s actually the right thing to do — why would you give an able-bodied person a wheelchair? Equity underpins our entire strategy in the Department. We’ve found that explaining this concept to people also helps them understand how typically controversial initiatives such as positive action are not radical, but necessary for meaningful change.

— Amani Saeed, UK Department for Education

Racial discrimination is a global issue that has been an ongoing and commonly ignored problem. Workplace equality isn't just about implementing procedures to stop workplace discrimination. We also have to actively promote equality and inclusion, ensuring people are free to focus on what matters most.

To help stop racial discrimination I think it's very important to have awareness, acknowledging the injustices currently present and embed anti-racism into our work values.

Employers can spread awareness by providing training on how to prevent harassment and discrimination and create channels where employees feel safe to speak up about racial issues. Employees are often scared to say anything because they worry that if they say anything wrong, it may jeopardise their job. It is important to create a space where people feel safe to have honest conversations where nobody feels singled out.

Everyone should be treated fairly in all day-to-day activities and work-related decisions. We should be embracing people's differences.

— Nancy Gonio, Government of Canada

I haven’t had a chance to do this yet but think it has great possibilities for changing our view of “others” at a micro level. Have a look at Elizabeth Lesser’s Ted Talk, Take the Other to Lunch. I envisioned an initiative in my organisation called Take the other to Tea — kind of like a world cafe but with a bit of teaching about unconscious bias followed by several juicy conversations with “others” based on Lesser’s questions. Covid intervened but I’d still like to try it! Maybe on Zoom!

— Joie Quarton, Government of Yukon, Canada

Public servants can tackle racism by developing personas for government-wide use, that should be used to test any government programs that we want to consider rolling out.

What is currently happening in the United States is inevitable. — Terri Richards

An example of an issue that clearly wasn't tested sufficiently (from the private sector) are automated faucets that one waves one's hand in front of to make it turn on. These work well for lighter skin tones but not for some darker tones. If testing included scenarios of all skin tones, this could have been avoided. The same thing could happen with automated vehicles that identify pedestrians. If these are all developed and tested by companies that don't include diverse skin tones in testing, we will be in for the same partially tested solution.

Personas could have a very diverse set of factors such as skin tone, religion/culture, age, ability, income, health, etc. that could, at a minimum, ensure that we take into consideration all people when developing policies and concepts and actions.

— David Chant, Government of Ontario, Canada

What is currently happening in the United States is inevitable.

As a former educator, it is unfathomable to me that there is NO standard, consistent or factual curriculum for the manner in which information is taught to students in terms of black history across the country. The shortest month of the year is dedicated to black history — why the shortest month? During the remainder of the school year, history is taught in a vacuum without the acknowledgement or education of how black people arrived in the United States, and what occurred once they were in this country, notwithstanding their contributions.

And unfortunately, in many instances still occurs today — taking on many forms. Again, why is that? In this country, we are taught history or social studies or some subset. We learn about Christopher Columbus, Lewis and Clark, and the Industrial Revolution. None of which captures the existence of black people in this country. Hence, “labelling” the month of February as Black History month.

For what, to attempt to ensure that the existence of black people in this country is represented? Well, what was happening during and around those eras and other eras that we didn't learn — and in many educational institutions across the country will never learn?

So how is a country supposed to understand, empathise, or reconcile — that which they do not acknowledge and/or are not taught?

One of a host of responses to Apolitical's question is consistent and accurate education and messaging surrounding the facts of this country's history beginning with the introduction of black people through their current existence today. Not the glorified leap from “arrival” in this country to what — sharecropper, janitor, bus driver, cashier or perhaps skilled tradesman, business owner or professional? This depiction is often misrepresented, misguided and certainly does not reflect the reality of most black people and their ancestors in this country. Only through knowledge can one begin to grow.

— Terri Richards, Government of U.S.

Please send your ideas and insights for how governments can tackle structural racism to concierge@apolitical.co. This article will be updated with new comments and as they come in.

(Picture credit: Unsplash)