EP68: BLM Series: Courageous Leadership and Boldly Challenging the Status Quo for Progress: Yendelela Neely Holston

Host Allison Hare talks to Yendelela Neely Holston, a Cum Laude graduate of Duke University School of Law and the Partner and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton. Yendelela Neely Holston talks about her open letter responding to OK Cafe owner Susan DeRose’s stance on Black Lives Matter. OK Cafe is a 50-year-old Atlanta institution, along with Blue Ridge Grill and Bone’s Steakhouse. During a peaceful Black Lives Matter march that was going past OK Cafe, a few weeks ago in response, there was a huge banner that stated, ‘Lives That Matter Are Made With Positive Purpose. The backlash to the owners putting up this cryptic banner was immediate. 

Episode Highlights:

Allison Hare introduces Yendelela Neely Holston. Allison started a course called Press Play Podcast.  What prompted Yendelela Neely Holston to write her letter? What has the response been like to her letter? What is her call to action for people that are going to continue to stand up for black lives? Has there been a shift towards radical empathy?Why are people fighting so hard for the status quo?Why did Yendelela Neely Holston get involved in a career in law? What is her ultimate goal as a diversity officer?  What does she know that she wishes other people knew?   What is next for Yendelela Neely Holston?How does she feel after having written her letter? 

3 Key Points

Anti-racism is the key to confront racism. People don’t have to be white to be racist. Perpetuating racism makes someone racist. Yendelela Neely Holston started a pipeline program for law school readiness for historically underrepresented individuals on two coasts with two of her firm's largest clients. 

Tweetable Quotes:

“Not doing something that is overtly racist is not enough, because we all function and live within a racist society. So, doing nothing, you are perpetuating racism. Period. Unless you are actively working against it, you are perpetuating it.” –Yendelela Neely Holston“I think that’s how we continue to not address things over history is that we reframe them in ways that are convenient and minimize what the real issue is.” –Yendelela Neely Holston(Systemic racism) “It is not a lack of intellectual horsepower. It is not a lack of ability. It is because you're just spending so much time how this works. You don’t have a cousin or an uncle or family friend to call and help navigate through.” –Yendelela Neely Holston

 

Resources Mentioned:

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Yendelela Neely Holston social media: Linkedin  Yendelela Neely Holston’s open letter: Open Letter to Susan DeRose