Our nonprofit board is almost entirely white and wealthy and we just hired a new executive director who is Black, and in our first few meetings I've watched board members interrupt her, question her expertise, and make comments they never would have made to our previous director. Some of us see it clearly but others get defensive when it's pointed out, and we haven't figured out how to address this as a group without fracturing the board.
More people experience this than they realize.
A group is witnessing harmful patterns but lacks the collective tools to name and address what's happening without triggering defensive reactions.
“Where Are You with Privilege and its acknowledgment?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.