Accountability with Amanda Jameson, Part 1
When it comes to justice, we need to talk about accountability. When it comes to hard conversations around justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, we worry about getting it right. So often when I conduct JEDI trainings, folks have nervousness about entering the space as they fear getting called out and for making mistakes.
I can empathize with folks worried about hurting others’ feelings or causing harm to underrepresented communities when we don’t intend to. But we do.
So...what do we do? We typically stay silent because working through hard conversations gets awkward.
I have news for you...We’re going to make mistakes. Even when we don’t, we run into someone with opposing ideas, a different perspective or experience, someone that is offering a challenge, a push back, or willing to teach me deeper learning and understanding.
I want to jump to 2018, when Camber outdoors announced a CEO Pledge that was the first of its kind. But there was already a pledge created by a Black woman, Teresa Baker.
The amount of fear I have seen and heard from organizations that don’t want to “end up like Camber.” but what they really mean is getting the PR backlash which leaves no room for justice, equity, diversity, nor inclusion.
I have the honor of speaking with Amanda Jameson, who is a woman of color that was also the Diversity and Inclusion Program Coordinator at Camber Outdoors when this happened in 2018. We get to hear about her story and she offers some incredible advice on how to recover when you do make a mistake.
Resources:
https://www.outsideonline.com/2391024/what-we-can-learn-camber-outdoors-fiasco#close
https://www.diversifyoutdoors.com/pledge
https://she-explores.com/podcast/outdoor-ceo-diversity-pledge/
