Thursday, June 4, 2020

Create Better Leadership to Address Social Injustices

"Asheville Police destroy water bottles at med station set up to help treat people with
 chemical burns and other injuries inflicted by police." 
Posted on social media by advocate/activist
John Pavlovitz

  Fact checked at

Create Better Leadership to Address Social Injustices

by: M.B.Varville-Rodriguez

These are the behaviors that continue to create divisions. How can anyone think this is going to help? Supervisors need to become better leaders and provide comprehensive training that prevents incidents from escalating. LEADERSHIP on ALL levels from the top (POTUS) down through the ranks is the only way anything will change.

1. ADMIT when you've fucked up communication! I don't care who you are...just accept your part in these senseless tragedies.

2. AGREE that things need to change.

3. COMMIT to putting your own egos on the side. Claiming your way is the only right way to deal with legitimate concerns will never lead to successful strategies or outcomes.

4. COMMUNICATE a desire to prevent dangerous behaviors that escalate unsafe situations.

5. CREATE betters ways to address how law enforcement and all emergency personnel engage with their community. (Regardless of how awesome/horrible you think your community is, we can always look at ways to do things better.)

6. PROMISE to have consequences and repercussions in place for those who refuse to abide by improved standards of conduct. There are many de-escalation programs available for training that can be accessed and practiced. ( I have personally been certified in two separate programs that practice safe handling, de-escalation techniques, and how to safely subdue someone who is in crisis.)

7. REMEMBER that everyone views their world through separate lenses. YOUR experiences do not equal that of someone else. If I claim that my world is more valid and worthy than another soul's, this makes me arrogant and lacking in compassion. I need to challenge myself to be more sensitive and aware. I need to acknowledge that what I think is right and necessary to be heard is not necessarily the experience of my neighbor.

8. UNDERSTAND there is no "one size fits all" solution to the problems we have seen over the past week. There are multiple layers that need to be addressed by many communities. The long-term, systemic trauma that has been allowed to continue is beyond the boiling point. What we have seen is not surprising at all. What is surprising is that we have failed to adequately address the concerns below surface level, but have expected more than is currently available. To clean a wound that is deep and diseased, you do not put on a band-aid. We cannot allow ourselves to be complacent and hope this "blows over." Serious remediation in terms of training at several levels needs to be initiated.

9. BECOME a part of the solution versus adding to the division. How can you get into your communities and be an active voice? Begin in your homes, on the job, within your company's culture, in your houses of worship, and when you are out and about in your community. When you view an injustice, learn how to communicate and de-escalate. (Beyond your "license to carry" which many are so passionate about.)

10. LOOK at how you might change your own attitude in the process of changing someone's heart.
ACTIONS speak louder than words. Share what you plan to do to make things better. Pick one of the above numbers or share one of your own ideas. Let's keep the conversation going.

Wishing all of you a week of introspection, 
solutions to your challenges, 
and answers to your prayers.

Kindest Wishes,

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