One of the most frequent questions we receive — and try and answer at Holistic — is “Who is doing it well?” It’s always been really informative to hear the good ideas others have. After all, as we say, there’s no IP in inclusion. This feature will highlight creative ideas from other companies. Check out the whole list here or submit your own suggestion below.

Many companies have made statements, created initiatives, and addressed what they’re actively doing to be anti-racist and prioritize DEI in the workplace following the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. Acknowledging cultural holidays or months like Black History Month has become the new norm in the pursuit of inclusion, but recently there has been an alarming, racist trend; a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and rhetoric fueled by the pandemic recently has been deemed a crisis. These targeted and horrifying attacks, especially coinciding with the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, are now becoming topics of conversation for leaders and employers to address.

TL/DR: CCS Fundraising is addressing and supporting Asian American colleagues as well as providing internal education for all, reaffirming their stance on DEI in a format that directly aligns with the way in which they run their company.

Who: CCS Fundraising, a global strategic fundraising firm.
What’s the big idea 💡: CCS Fundraising addressed the current alarming rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and rhetoric in our country, voiced support for Asian-American employees, and provided educational resources for all. Some of the internally shared resources included Amanda Nguyen’s viral video detailing recent attacks on Asian elders which helped bring the events into mainstream discourse, a link to Stop AAPI Hate – which aggregates and responds to incidents of hate and harassment, and a Support the Cause Against Anti-Asian Violence GoFundMe
Why it works: This issue is timely and urgent and the response was an example of the company's intentional, structural, and consistent communications. Whether it's internal or external, a small act can be powerful. It’s one thing to post a statement about your company values, one and done. It’s another to thoughtfully react to new challenges and situations that arise in a way that is second nature, because it is genuine. Making a statement on anti-racism in 2020 is not enough to sustain your company’s stance on DEI. Your values and missions should be reaffirmed because they should be ingrained in your company’s identity.
(Not so) Hidden Value: This format also focuses on inclusion and belonging within the company. Making public-facing statements to raise awareness is great, but a key component of DEI is fostering an inclusive environment, which is a permanent part of company culture. Addressing issues and providing extensive and rich resources like these as well as an opportunity for action by way of donation are acts of inclusion that can strongly reaffirm your company’s commitment to DEI and anti-racism.

Read their statement below and check out CCS on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Everyone,

We are writing today in support of our Asian American colleagues, relatives, and friends. First, for those of you who celebrate, we wish you all a happy Lunar New Year and hope the Year of the Ox brings you happiness, good health, and prosperity. We also recognize that during what should be a celebratory moment in time is tempered by the increase of anti-Asian racism and violence. Over the past several months, people of Asian descent, particularly the elderly, have become targets for anti-Asian violence across the United States. At CCS, we reject all forms of racism, bigotry, and hate. Now, as always, it’s important to remember that we can give comfort by standing with one another, as colleagues, friends, as allies. Below are some resources to learn more about the history of and organizations committed to combating anti-Asian violence.

Again, we stand together.

Best,

Jon Kane, Eric Javier, Janine Triano, and the CCS DEI working group

Read more and take action: https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/

Additional Articles

Anti-Asian Violence in US Demands Response, Human Rights Watch.
As attacks against Asian-Americans spike, advocates call for action to protect communities, CNN.
Video: A shocking surge in anti-Asian racism, Fareed Zakaria, CNN.
Asian-Americans are still caught in the trap of the ‘model minority’ stereotype. And it hurts us all, Viet Thanh Nguyen, TIME. This was published last June 2020 but is relevant to current events. Viet Thanh Nguyen is a Vietnamese refugee, Pulitzer Prize winning author, and writes frequently about the Asian-American experience.

Additional Resources & Organizations

Amanda Nguyen: Her viral video detailing recent attacks on Asian elders helped bring the events into mainstream discourse. She is a daughter of Vietnamese refugees, and a Nobel Peace Prize nominee. She posts regularly about this on her social media and has played a large role in shedding light on the situation.
Stop AAPI Hate – Aggregates and responds to incidents of hate and harassment.

Support the Cause Against Anti-Asian Violence GoFundMe – This is now closed, but lists local organizations and encourages visitors to donate to those orgs