| We treat everyone the same, don’t we? – Why a critical perspective on racism is needed. The diversity dimension “experience of racism” in particular is being given more attention here in Germany at the latest after the death of George Floyd and the recent Black Lives Matter protests. More and more managers in companies and organisations are setting out to firmly establish diversity in their mission statement. For many it is clear: “Racism is not tolerated here! However, if there is a complaint, we will follow it up immediately.” It is not uncommon for managers and HR directors to report that not a single incident of racism has been reported since the organisation was founded. Does a non-report automatically mean that there really were no racist incidents? In addition to a diversity-sensitive and racism-critical basic attitude, organisations need individually elaborated prevention and intervention measures in dealing with racist discrimination. Guiding questions for the development of such a catalogue are, for example: Are there internal anti-discrimination officers and a regulated complaints procedure? What training on racism is available for managers and staff? How can incidents be reported anonymously? Where can I seek additional external support? In our two-hour workshop, we invite you to bring your questions and experiences in dealing with incidents of racism and to share them together. First, there will be a thematic introduction, followed by reflection and group exercises to work on core issues in more depth. In doing so, it is important for us to treat the participants in an error-friendly, confidential and at the same time appreciative manner. We reserve the right to exclude individual participants in the event of right-wing extremist, openly racist or discriminatory statements or gross disruptions during the workshop in order to protect the participants and ourselves. |
Organiser
Hyre Sutaj (she/her) – M.A. of Arts Sociology, German Studies, Intercultural Trainer, Anti-Violence Trainer, Systemic Consultant (SG), Systemic Organisational Consultant.
For 7 years she worked as a diversity trainer and consultant in the federal programme “Integration through Qualification” in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. She trained and advised in particular the labour administration as well as small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of diversity, inclusion, intercultural sensitisation, anti-discrimination and diversity-oriented opening processes. Since the beginning of this year, she has been responsible for diversity-oriented opening processes in the labour administration and in small and medium-sized enterprises in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Alexandra Conrads (she/her) – social scientist, trainer, consultant and systemic coach. She has been active in political education work for several years with a focus on anti-racism, criticism of racism and empowerment and works with a wide range of target groups.
