How can you effectively measure the impact of your racial justice efforts?

To quote Diana Dunn of The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, "People don't need more programs, they need power." The goal should be to increase the power - the sustainability and agency - of the people in a service area. If racial justice efforts are succeeding, the service area or clients should have more power and agency - more stability and freedom - because of the racial justice actions. Clear signs of misguided efforts include an increase in misunderstanding, conflict, poverty, hate, racism, or violence.

To effectively measure organizational antiracism efforts, leaders must first adequately understand the systemic disparities and inequities impacting racial groups and define the goals for social justice change. Leaders should listen to the lived experiences of people of color and collect surveyed data on the issues regarding a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Implementing assessments and tools can help to increase employee intercultural competence, moving from denial of unconscious bias to more advanced stages of social justice awareness. Leaders should actively engage all team members and stakeholders, providing transparency of the results and communicating that antiracism is a priority in the organization.

Those in position of power must commit to co-create, co-design and co-lead racial justice initiatives with those from the impacted communities. Those most impacted know what positive change looks like and they know how harmful performative actions can be. Those with lived experiences must be directly involved in creating goals, indicators and the performance assessment phases. The impacts of systemic racism are system-wide, they are present in how talent is developed and supported, it is present in who gets disciplined and who doesn't. Indicators should focus on organizational changes and on outcomes, not just outputs (i.e., what has changed in leadership culture after mandatory anti-bias training and not the number of sessions held).

In organizations where systemic racism is prevalent, there is likely significant distrust of the organization by those from racial groups. The distrust is well founded as leaders tend to talk a big game but rarely follow up with actions. Data collection should consider power imbalances and employee concerns about being reprimanded for speaking truth to power. I recommend using anonymous feedback channels, quarterly pulse check surveys, focus groups, employee exit interviews and 360 feedback. Use tools and methods that are anti-racist and informed by Black and Indigenous wisdom. Be willing to adjust methods if the data demonstrates a need. Lastly, ensure that whatever methods used are validated by the employees experiencing racism.

Each time a leader, racialized or not, makes a verbal commitment to racial inclusion but fails to follow up with meaningful actions, racialized employees experience harm. This undermines psychological safety and erodes trust. Real leaders are courageous. Real allies use their social capital and actually risk their own social capital so those who have been marginalized can be begin to experience elements of inclusion. It is imperative that efforts to measure inclusion de-centre whiteness and use intersectionality. Anti-racism work advances racial inclusion, accessibility, gender and queer rights, religious rights, etc. And organizations need to be intersectional in developing strategies, setting goals and measuring progress and impacts.