A Work in Process

The other day, sharp Shanna Crutchfield from Visions of Equity, a consultancy working with us of Pratt on Racial Equity, described herself as “a work-in-process.”  I am struck by that.  I, too, have been and am a work in process.  I suppose we all are in our own ways, some more radically than others, some at different speeds than others.  In my case, process speeds have come in spurts – especially on matters of social awareness and unearned privilege.

My first, wholly unearned privilege, of course, was pure demographics.  1934, the year I was born, was third lowest year for US births since the WWI.  By the time my high school class of ’52 were applying, colleges and Universities had graduated the tail end of the GI Bill crowd. More labs and dorms had been built for them and faculty hired; schools had capacity to fill and were hungry for those few of us, two-thirds of whom weren’t even seeking admission.  Ten years later, when the baby boomers were applying, including a lot more of the women boomers than in our day, schools could be selective.  I couldn’t then have cracked open the doors to a Hamilton or Harvard.  And business was booming in the late ‘50’s, when we few went into the job market, mainly men of course, companies were scrambling to hire us.  

  

My second, unearned privilege was that Y chromosome.  In 1976, I was put in charge of General Mills’ Marketing Services, a collection of departments that executed the marketing programs of our brand divisions.  Sixty-five percent or more of my 400+ employees were women.  I was 42, well brought up, well-educated and always respectful of women, though I had not worked around many other than secretaries.  Boy, did I have a lot to learn (through sheer confrontation) about unconscious male privilege! Suppositions shattered.  I am proud to have carried over those lessons to Marriott and Westin, and helped move women into positions of responsibility they earned and deserved.  But, I regret to say in hindsight, I should have done more about sexism; we were too lenient on harassers in those days before #MeToo. 

The third unearned privilege?  Race. I am, Ancestor tells me, a stew of Northern European and British genes, that stew that over eons, evolved ‘whites’.  Pratt’s racial equity initiatives, and Shanna’s encouragement, have challenged me anew.  I was raised in an unequal Maryland of segregation and discrimination.  We were aware; I was raised in a family that was intolerant of racism. Our father was intolerant only of intolerance, and he was a fighter. But despite being aware of and opposed to the hardships and injustices delivered on black Americans, it wasn’t until the coin of Discrimination has been flipped over to its other side, White Privilege, that my in-process once again has been sped up.

Examining my white privilege has abruptly confronted my attitudes, certitudes and sensitivities.  It seems, after all, it’s not too late for an old dog to learn new tricks.  The now question is what do I do with this awakening? One of the first changes is to think equity rather than equality.  I’d always focused on equality of access and opportunity. But in the light of privilege, is equality enough? What does equity demand?  Tough questions – personally, professionally, and politically.  What causes deserve support?  What politicians deserve support?  What should my town and community be doing?  Where should my energies and resources be applied? What do I want my grandchildren to believe? What actions are affirmative?

I have few answers so far, but lots of new and unsettling questions.  A work in process, indeed. 

In deed?  TBD.