In this episode of the Embracing Only Podcast with Archita Fritz and Olivia Cream, Regina Jackson of Race2Dinner helps us deconstruct what being a true ally is. She leads off with how her work alongside Sair Rao is not steeped in niceness because being nice has not stopped racism. Thorugh her work and lived experiences over the last 72 years she is on a mission to change the status quo she co-founded Race2Dinner with Saira Roa. They took the experiences from these dinners and developed a documentary with film maker Patty Ivins called Deconstructing Karen. In the words of the filmaker’s themselves “It is a provocative documentary, white women experience RADICAL HONESTY ABOUT RACISM…their daily role in upholding it, their conditioning to ignore it and the essential part they can play in tearing down the systems that are killing black and brown people every single day.” How does this translate into the workplace? It provides thought provoking questions to consider if you call yourself an Ally at work It challenges you to start with yourself in deconstructing your beliefs and triggers first It leaves us with key messages to ACT as there is urgency in having honest discussion however uncomfortable that make us feel. Only then can we seek to make the impact we seek within the Employee Resource Groups (ERG’s) or diverse teams we are leading in organizations. Finally, a recognition that is a constant journey of learning, recognition and evolution If you are ready to join in on this journey to deconstruct your own racism we encourage you to engage in the following way. Purchase their book “White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better”. You can purchase it here or anywhere you read books. https://www.amazon.com/White-Women-Everything-Already-Racism-ebook/dp/B09RPPV3B8 Watch their movie “Deconstructing Karen”. You can watch it by purchasing it on iTunes or on YouTube Engage with the Race2Dinner Community if you recognize as a white woman. If you are ready to unravel, connect and commit. You can buy one for yourself and gift one to another friend here through January 2023. https://www.race2dinner.com/race2community. Register for the Race2Dinner Self Actualization Program if you identify as a person of color. An opportunity to dive deep, live authentically and free. https://www.race2dinner.com/race2selfactualization Host a Race2Dinner with a group of your girlfriends. Reach out to Saira Rao and Regina Jackson here. They have SOLD Out of their dinner in 2023 but be on the watch out for more in 2024