B The Change Weekly: June 19, 2020
Delivered on Fridays, B the Change Weekly delivers the most important and most relevant stories about people using business as a force for good. The newsletter features a weekly note from the B the Change team alongside insight and context on the stories we share here on Medium. Below is our latest roundup. To receive these insights directly in your inbox, sign up for B the Change Weekly today. Now on to the good stuff:
Corporate anti-racist statements are empty promises without the action — which requires time, conversations, work and honesty. As Certified B Corporations and individuals move forward with anti-racism work, they can turn to history and timely resources to inform their journey.
And today, Juneteenth — America’s celebration of emancipation and the formal end of slavery — also reminds us of the work that remains, as Dr. Tiffany Jana of B Corp TMI Consulting shares in this article. “The truth we were taught was filled with omission and one-sided testimonies,” she says. “Educate yourself on what this nation was actually founded upon.”
To inform that education, B Lab U.S. & Canada has compiled an online Anti-Racism Resource Guide with links and learnings that B Corps can use now and for the long-term to address the inequity, violence and injustice that affect People of Color.
5 Action Steps for Immediate and Ongoing Anti-Racism Work
The inequalities borne out along race lines, prominently visible in the United States, show that inclusion without a specific focus on anti-racism training, resourcing, action and accountability has clearly not been enough. On B The Change, learn five steps you and your business can take now — and turn to the new Anti-Racism Resources page from B Lab U.S. & Canada that highlights recommended resources.
Juneteenth: A Reminder of the Work That Remains
Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the mandated freedom of all Americans. But, as Dr. Tiffany Jana of B Corp TMI Consulting says, it is also a time to reflect on the inequalities still sweeping our nation and the disgusting effects it has had for entire populations. She shares the history of the holiday and why it is more relevant than ever.
Taking the Step from Learning to Action
The interdependence that connects all B Corps provides a network for collaboration and learnings. As business leaders and their workers move forward with anti-racism work, one local organization of B Corps is collaborating to share conversation and learnings. On B The Change, the B Local PDX group based in Portland, Oregon, shares where they are beginning the work and how they plan to continue it as a community.
Stay in the Know
Here’s your chance to catch up on recent articles:
- 5 Things Your Business Can Do Now to Fight Racism — and Keep the Fight Going: Business Resources to Take Immediate Action and Commit to Ongoing Structural Work to Dismantle White Supremacy
- What We’re Doing to Dismantle White Supremacy at B Local PDX: How the Portland, Oregon, Certified B Corporation Community Is Collaborating on Anti-Racism Work
- A Call to Action for the B Corp, Conscious Capitalism, and Social Impact Community: It’s Time to Commit to the Work for Racial Justice
- Why the History of Juneteenth Is More Relevant Than Ever: America’s Celebration of Emancipation Also Serves as a Reminder of the Work That Remains
- How the B Corp Stakeholder Model Helps Businesses Navigate COVID-19 and Other Challenging Times: Highlights from a Conversation with B Corp Leaders from MIXT, Gaia Herbs and Luke’s Lobster
- Raising Funds from the Crowd and Democratizing Investment: B Corp Wefunder Creates Coronavirus Crisis Loan Program for Businesses
- Vote With Your Wallet: Consumer Power as Activism: B Corps Preserve and DoneGood Provide Sustainable Shopping Options
B the Change gathers and shares the voices from within the movement of people using business as a force for good and the community of Certified B Corporations. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the nonprofit B Lab.
Turning to History to Inform Anti-Racism Work was originally published in B The Change on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
