Race Reflections AT WORK

The only person of colour in the workplace

In today's episode Guilaine responds to a listener query about strategies for navigating situations where you are the only person of colour or marginalised person within the space. She reflects on her own experiences of this dynamic and considers issues such as representation, isolation, assimilation, scapegoating, hyper-visibility, invisibility, tokenisation and internalised racism. And she suggests some approaches for individuals and organisations to mitigate these harms including finding,...

Thinking critically about feelings

In today's episode Guilaine reflects on the particular dynamic where a person with power reacts to accusations of structural harm by saying that they feel unsafe. She considers how affect and feelings are conditioned and shaped by social context, histories and structures, and how feelings can play a role in protecting and enforcing social (dis)order and the status quo. She encourages us to consider how words and discourses can harm people, and to think critically about our feelings. Subscri...

The Art of Relaxation

In today's episode Guilaine reflects on the importance of relaxation for racialised and marginalised people,  particularly when experiencing discrimination or oppression within the workplace.  She considers the physical effects of oppression and stress and offers some approaches that may help to transform this embodied data; visualisation, mindfulness, breathing. She reflects on ways to use physiology, as a tool of resistance and a tool to mitigate the impact of white supremacy and other sys...

Assimilation in the Workplace

In today's episode Guilaine reflects on how how people, especially Black and brown people, face pressure to assimilate within the workplace. She considers what assimilation or "the politics of assimilation" means,  how this works in practice, what implications this has for marginalised employees, and strategies for resisting assimilation. Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, question...

The Invisible Gaze of White Women

In our last episode of 2021, Guilaine reflects on her recent article The Invisible Gaze of White Women (now only available to Race Reflections members) and considers how the insights she explored in this article can be applied to the workplace. She combines theories around misogynoir, rape culture, and the white gaze, to theorize systemic sexual harassment created in part by the white female gaze. Link to the article for members. Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Googl...

Whiteness in the Workplace

In today's episode, Lucia -the Assistant Disruptor at Race Reflections - reflects on how Whiteness as a set of cultural practices affects our work environments by setting norms and expectations for everyone. Starting with a definition of Whiteness and its characteristics, we then examine how it enacts exclusionary practices in organisations.  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, ques...

Writing and Power

In today's episode we reflect on writing in relation to the workplace and in relation to power. Who gets to document, author, and narrate their lived experience? What can writing give you in relation to self care, transgression and home-ness?  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email [email protected]

Side hustling as a navigational strategy for black and brown employees: Part 2

In today’s episode Dionne - the Admin, Comms and Engagement Lead at Race Reflections - continues the conversation on side hustles and entrepreneurship, following Guilaine's introduction on episode 12. Dionne reflects on her own personal and professional journey in business and introduces five suggestions for those side hustling, or taking the leap towards building their business as a full-time venture. Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or w...

The start of a new chapter

In today's episode Guilaine reflects on her personal and professional news that she is starting a PHD. She considers why she has chosen to pursue this path given her difficult journey within psychology, and thinks about this process as an act of resistance and about the roles this can play in disrupting whiteness and structures of power. She also discusses the focus and process of her studies, and the wider experiences of people of colour and other marginalised people within academia. Subs...

Writing While Black with Jendella Benson and Annabelle Steele

In today's episode we are joined by head of editorial at Black Ballad (and author of Hope & Glory) Jendella Benson, and teacher (and author of Being Amani) Annabelle Steele to talk about how they navigate the workplace and the publishing space as Black women. The conversation reflects on Black representation, Black motherhood, authorship, self care and Black literature. Jendella Benson: http://www.jendella.co.uk/ Black Ballad: https://blackballad.co.uk/ Hope & Glory: https://www.waterstone...

The Sociopolitical Context of the Workplace

In today's episode we look at how the workplace relates to the sociopolitical context it exists within. We critique existing individualistic thinking that presents workplaces as exceptions to sociopolitical violence, sociopolitical processes and sociopolitical events, and instead consider the workplace as a microcosms of societies.  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, questions and ...

Introduction to Beyond Bias

In today's episode, in response to a listener's request, we give an introduction to one of our most requested interventions our training course, Beyond Bias. We cover a little bit about it's content and some of its learning objectives, and give some context for why Guilaine designed the course, and the journey that the training takes you on. Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, quest...

Side hustling as a navigational strategy for black and brown employees

In this podcast we discuss  side hustling when black or brown or otherwise marginalised and therefore likely to encounter inequality, injustice and oppression at work. We think about why side hustling matters and why it can act as a buffer to adverse work experiences.  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email [email protected]

Side hustling as a navigational strategy for black and brown employees

In this podcast we discuss  side hustling when black or brown or otherwise marginalised and therefore likely to encounter inequality, injustice and oppression at work. We think about why side hustling matters and why it can act as a buffer to adverse work experiences.  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email [email protected]

The Black Advocate

In today’s episode we think about the dynamics at play in someone finding themselves in the role of being "The Black Advocate" (or any other position of advocating for marginalised groups) in the workplace.  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email [email protected]

Conditional Humanity, Gratitude and Black Objecthood

In this episode we think about the treatment of the Black players in the England team after the Euro 2020 final. We think about the parallels between all of this and the struggles people navigate in more conventional workplaces. We consider the conditional humanity afforded to Black people and people of colour, the colonial notion of gratitude and how Black people are objectified. Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/KGuilaine/status/1414842699119796225?s=20 Related episode: Location of Di...

Toxic White Femininity

In today’s episode we take the recent Tiktok trend of "white women fake crying" as a jumping-off point to consider a slightly different take on intersectionality in relation to white womanhood. We consider the reasons why black people and people of colour find these videos disturbing or triggering, and explore "toxic femininity" which we define as when white fragility meets the constructions of white femininity. More on the TikTok trend: https://www.nylon.com/life/white-women-crying-on-cue...

Envy

In today’s episode we think about how the so called "deadly sin' of envy can play out in the workplace in relation to racial dynamics and inequality. We consider the distinction between envy and jealousy and the underlying motivations behind these feelings and what they look like within the contexts of whiteness and work. Further reading:  Neuroses of whiteness, white envy and racial violence Living While Black: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Racial Trauma is out: https://www.penguin.co...

Surviving the Workplace While Black

In today’s episode we consider surviving the workplace while black. We reflect on the workplace conditions of previous and current generations of black people, particularly black women. We think about three strands that are navigated when working while black: 1.  Inequalities and structural racism which impacts physical and mental health. 2. Experiences of discrimination, interpersonal racism and bullying which intersect with structural issues. 3. The internal and external pressures ...

Living While Black

Today we do something a little bit different because Living While Black: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Racial Trauma is due to come out very soon! So this episode is dedicated to thinking together about the book, considering the relevance of LWB to the workplace and sharing an exclusive extract from the book's introduction. You can preorder living while black here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1442992/living-while-black/9781529109436.html Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podca...

Transference in the Workplace

In today’s episode we consider the influence of the past on the present by exploring the concept of transference, what it means and how it might manifest in the workplace. This episode is all about making present-past links to better make sense of conflicts, tensions and race-based difficulties at work.  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email atwork@...

Episode 4

In Episode 4 we consider aversive racism. Specifically, how the fear of being called racist, the fear of confronting racism and the avoidance of difficult race-related conversations by white managers, can lead to exclusionary interpersonal dynamics and cultures of marginalisation within institutions which can have significant adverse consequences on the welfare, morale and/or workplace experience of colour.

Aversive Racism

In Episode 4 we consider aversive racism. Specifically, how the fear of being called racist, the fear of confronting racism and the avoidance of difficult race-related conversations by white managers, can lead to exclusionary interpersonal dynamics and cultures of marginalisation within institutions which can have significant adverse consequences on the welfare, morale and/or workplace experience of colour. Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music...

Episode 5

Episode 3

There are many challenges black leaders must contend with, that is for certain... In this episode we consider why black authority in the workplace continues to attract resistance, hostility and sometimes sabotage and reflect on some of the challenges of black leadership within white institutions. To do this, we make links to historical configurations, colonial relations and the expectation of black servitude.   Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon M...

Black Authority in the Workplace

There are many challenges black leaders must contend with, that is for certain... In this episode we consider why black authority in the workplace continues to attract resistance, hostility and sometimes sabotage and reflect on some of the challenges of black leadership within white institutions. To do this, we make links to historical configurations, colonial relations and the expectation of black servitude.   Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon M...

Episode 2

In this episode we ask ourselves why institutions often turn on those who allege racism. We consider some of the group processes at play using as illustration the treatment of Meghan Markle and responses from that interview. Location of disturbance and scapegoating are presented as frames to formulate victimisation and retaliation within institutions.   Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your qu...

Location of Disturbance and Scapegoating

In this episode we ask ourselves why institutions often turn on those who allege racism. We consider some of the group processes at play using as illustration the treatment of Meghan Markle and responses from that interview. Location of disturbance and scapegoating are presented as frames to formulate victimisation and retaliation within institutions.   Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your qu...

Location of Disturbance and Scapegoating

In this episode we ask ourselves why institutions often turn on those who allege racism. We consider some of the group processes at play using as illustration the treatment of Meghan Markle and responses from that interview. Location of disturbance and scapegoating are presented as frames to formulate victimisation and retaliation within institutions.   Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. To send us your qu...

Racial Trauma at Work

What is racial trauma? How does it manifest in the workplace? In this episode we consider the distress that racism can cause in the workplace and explore the experience of Harvinder, a research assistant whose well-being becomes so adversely affected by his experience of discrimination and victimisation, he is forced to resign. We ask ourselves why it matters that those is position of power in organisations understand racial trauma and what organisations can do mitigate the adverse impact of...

Episode 1

What is racial trauma? How does it manifest in the workplace? In this episode we consider the distress that racism can cause in the workplace and explore the experience of Harvinder, a research assistant whose well-being becomes so adversely affected by his experience of discrimination and victimisation, he is forced to resign. We ask ourselves why it matters that those is position of power in organisations understand racial trauma and what organisations can do mitigate the adverse impact of...

Race Reflections AT WORK Teaser

Hi this is Guilaine from Race Reflections and I’m really excited to share with a teaser for our new podcast AT WORK. Our first episode will be released on Monday 1st March! I’m really excited because AT WORK is going to be led entirely by you! That is to say your workplace dilemmas, your challenges and your queries at work.  So you tell us what is up and will do some thinking will do some research and will propose some possible solutions so that together we can make the workplace work for...

Race Reflections AT WORK!

Hi this is Guilaine from Race Reflections and I’m really excited to tell you about our new and upcoming podcast AT WORK, the place to reflect on all things inequality injustice and oppression at work. I’m really excited because AT WORK is going to be led entirely by you! That is to say your workplace dilemmas, your challenges and your queries at work.  So you tell us what is up and will do some thinking will do some research and will propose some possible solutions so that together we can ...