With the number of COVID cases increasing rapidly across the US and the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement, this Independence Day is unlike any other.
As a fairly new resident of this country, I’ve observed how people across different communities – the marginalized and the privileged – live, think, feel, and perceive America so differently. There is too much racial injustice, social injustice, economic injustice, environmental injustice – the list goes on. I see that most people are not “free,” in the truest sense of the word. So how then can independence be celebrated?
The struggle for freedom must not end until everyone in this country is truly free and equal. What astonishes me, however, is that even though “injustice” is being discussed everywhere, we continue to see denialism and negativity regarding the experiences of black Americans and other marginalized groups.
That denialism reminds me of conversations I’ve had at a former workplace. As a practicing Muslim woman, I have experienced my fair share of racism. I once explained to a colleague what I experienced, only to have him deny it completely and attempt to convince me that every racist encounter I ever had was bogus and that I was overreacting. This same coworker argued with me on the pronunciation of my name telling me that my parents had made a mistake. His ignorance left me seething, but those experiences were not new.
Today I challenge those former coworkers to look at the world and behave the way my current Joveo ones do. At Joveo, we truly value every single individual and believe there is a job for everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, etc.
Discrimination on the basis of these and other cultural factors, is a systemic issue – not just in America but around the world. Being a part of the recruitment ecosystem, we see bias – mostly implicit – on a very regular basis. Job descriptions that can make non-male job seekers uncomfortable with applying, are a great example. We are trying to solve these challenges with technology and the right partnerships.
We have a lot of work to do, as a part of the recruitment community, but we are on the right track. Companies like ours make me proud to live in this country!
This week, we’re calling on all talent acquisition leaders, recruiters, recruitment marketers, and HR tech businesses to pledge – we will do whatever it takes to ensure equal employment, economic, and other opportunities for all.
If you have experiences with discrimination in recruitment and diversity hiring, or know someone that is dealing with these challenges today, let’s chat!
Happy July 4th!
