Advocating for change starts with empathy

Advocating for change starts with empathy

Below are remarks Satya Nadella made to Microsoft employees on May 28, 2020, edited for brevity and context.

Thanks, everyone, for joining today. I want to start by talking about an issue that is important to all of us and is impacting and hurting many amongst us, very directly, and very severely. I also know that the every-day racism, bias and hatred in the news today is not new, and it's far too often the experience and reality in daily lives, particularly for the Black and African American community.

I was reading, just the other day, Ernest Owens' very powerful and moving Op-ed in The New York Times, and this is even before all that unfolded in Minneapolis, and it sort of hits home how many feel about their daily lived experience, and we're not insulated from this.

This is not something that you can just leave behind when you log into work. The weight can be enormous, and so the question, of course, is what can we do, what should we do?

My feeling is that we can start by checking in with each other, ask all colleagues how they're doing and what they need, have empathy for what others are feeling. We talk about Model, Coach, Care for our managers, but it's actually a good framework for how we can, each of us, be there for each other, and for our communities. We can model that behavior we need to see, coach others on how they can be better allies, and care for each other in times of crisis.

I know it's not enough to just have empathy for those impacted, for the communities who are experiencing this hate, firsthand, who are scared for their safety, and for their loved ones.

Our identity, our very existence is rooted in empowering everyone on the planet. So, therefore, it's incumbent upon us to use our platforms, our resources, to drive that systemic change, right? That's the real challenge here. It's not just any one incident, but it's all the things that have led to the incident that absolutely need to change.

We can't do it alone. I'm grounded in that, I realize that, but together I think we can, and we will drive change.

We need to recognize that we are better, smarter and stronger when we consider the voices, the actions of all communities, and you have my assurance that Microsoft will continue to advocate to have all those voices heard and respected.

That's why we're doing what we're doing with the Criminal Justice Reform Initiative, investing in partnerships and programs, working to drive reforms, focusing on policing.

My ask to each of you is to come together. Ask a colleague how they are doing today. Give each other grace as they're navigating unseen circumstances.

Have empathy for those who are scared and uncertain, and join me and everyone on the senior leadership team, in advocating for change in our company, in our communities, and in society at large.

Ms. Donna Shannon

Editor, Proofreader, Transcriptionist, & Author

2y

It is encouraging to see this being thought about and discussed on the corporate level, but the problem starts long before things reach the corporate level. There are some wonderful teachers, but by and large, the problem is perpetuated by the bias, whether "implicit" or overt and deliberate, of teachers - the vast majority of whom are white women - against black children, especially the boys, starting in elementary school, or even in Pre-K. If a black boy isn't blessed to come from a 2-parent family that can afford a lawyer, he is in grave danger of being steered into Special Ed for minor reasons that white children are not relegated to Special Ed for. ADHD and claims of "oppositional defiance" are favorite tools to get a challenging black boy removed from a classroom, even when the challenge results from extreme giftedness making age-appropriate class placement literally boring the child to distraction, as was the case with my son. His school knew he started in William & Mary's gifted program at age 4, but that was ignored. Certainly, I never allowed a Special Ed placement. Details are in my book, Beyond Miseducation, but suffice to say homeschool freed my son to start college at 14, eventually earning a BSc in Computer Science, with Magna Cum Laude honors. Now, long after my son no longer needs me to advocate for his education, I still worry about the common miseducation and stigmatizing of Black children in American public schools., since from what I read and hear from other parents and even teachers, things are not getting appreciably better. We don't need more money unless it's going to be equitably disbursed; we don't need more studies - we all know what's wrong. If corporations could help pressure public schools to guide teachers to recognize their biases and treat black children fairly, many more black children could grow up with their self-esteem and confidence intact, able to successfully pursue fulfilling career aspirations, and there would be more diversity in every positive aspect of adult American life. Corporate pressure for public education policy reform - that's where big business might really make a big difference. Just my 2-cents. (If the mention of my book is grounds to discard my comment, please delete the mention and start that sentence with "Homeschool" - thank you.)

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Tôi rất thích những sản phẩm từ Microsoft và tôi rất mong nhận được nhiều sản phẩm hữu ích để khai thác hết tình năng của nó

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these sites need to keep their mouth shut and stay middle of the road not spew what they think BS

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Change we can really believe in is finally happening now! It was just a slogan in 2008! Great to see Corporate America getting involved in this effort to bring about this much needed change.

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Jeff Cinadr

Hire talent on Upwork, the world's work marketplace

3y

I love this share Kathleen Hogan and Satya Nadella. My favorite part was "It's not just any one incident, but it's all the things that have led to the incident that absolutely need to change." Well said. Looking forward to seeing those changes and being available to help on any initiatives that drive opportunity to more people around the world.

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