On Racism, Integrity, and Taking a Stand

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I normally steer clear of potentially sensitive topics. It’s important to me that my clients feel safe with and respected by me, so it serves me and that “safe space” well for me to not go there. I have clients from all walks of life, on all spectrums, and I honor and respect them all. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You all know what’s going on in the world post-George Floyd’s death. People have taken to the streets to protest the biases that exist in our world against Black people.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those protesters is my 23-year-old son. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My son schooled me this week on why it’s important to speak up. How saying “all lives matter” is hurtful. And how right now, it’s important that we highlight the importance of the lives of our Black neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family members. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I raised my boys to not consider the color of a person’s skin. I didn’t want to be distinguished on that basis, and I didn’t want my boys distinguishing or classifying others by skin color.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But now I realize that color matters because it’s part of what makes up their reality — our realities — and pretending like it doesn’t matter is contributing to the problem.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So today I’m speaking my truth. I’m sharing stories about how skin color has impacted my own family — especially my brother (who has darker skin than I do) and my son —  and the tension in my household as my own biases towards the current administration AND towards Ron for being a former Trump supporter bubbled up to the surface. The emotions are raw and real. And I had to speak up.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In NLP, there is a technique, called perceptual positions, designed to create understanding, flexibility, sympathy, and empathy. Our world could use some of that now, don’t you think?<