Advancing Racial Equity in and Between Organizations: A Critical Race Lens on Nonprofit Human Resource Practice

• In Event: Reframing Nonprofit Organizations: Democracy, Inclusion and Social Change

Abstract

Nonprofits in the United States are challenged with the task of attracting and retaining staff who have the unique skills, experiences, and perspectives needed to fill gaps, foster trust, innovate, create, serve, advocate, and organize for greater equity and justice. Yet, nonprofit human resource practices are not exempt from the social forces that reproduce and sustain inequity and injustice. Despite many pledges to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, nonprofits have been criticized for perpetuating disparities within and between organizations. A critical race lens illuminates the ways that racism and other forms of oppression operate in nonprofit human resource practice and point to transformative approaches that may lead to deeper equity than we are currently seeing in the sector. This paper challenges the norms of colorblindness and interest convergence, centers the counter-stories of people of color, and highlights strategies that may assist nonprofit leaders to redress racism, empower staff, and achieve their organizations’ ambitious yet vital missions.

Critical race theory encourages us to acknowledge the inequities that persist within and between nonprofit organizations, and to uncover the social and institutional structures that reinforce these arrangements. The traditional human resource practices adopted by many nonprofits overemphasize efficiency and compliance over equity, empathy, and respect. A focus on the interests of elite philanthropy encourages austerity and discourages investment in the wages and benefits provided to staff. Many organizations continue to uncritically equate the ideal nonprofit worker with Whiteness and masculinity. The ability of organizations to address these issues is hampered by colorblindness and interest convergence. The counter-stories of people of color in the sector illuminate the harms they have faced by colleagues, supervisors, and donors, and detail the extensive social and emotional labor that they have contributed to their organizations, often at great personal expense.

Fortunately, many scholars and practitioners have developed strategies for redressing racism in the nonprofit system. The suggestions they offer, based on their values, persistence, and lessons learned, may assist you to assess the state of your organizations, commit to the work, and take concrete action that leads to real change in policies and practices. While there is no singular pathway to organizational transformation, we do know which principles and behaviors support deep equity work including: sharing the responsibility, remaining open to learning-- and unlearning; developing a shared analysis of racism and other forms of oppression; generating open and honest conversations; and staying engaged over the long term. Throughout, organizational change efforts that prioritize solidarity with communities, colleagues and partners will be positioned to advocate for much needed changes to the institutions and systems that continue to perpetuate injustice.

Author

• Maureen Feit, Seattle University