Grand Rapids seems to be a pretty contradictory place as of late. It’s simultaneously the best place to live and the worst place to live, depending on who you are.
Here are some “fun” facts about Grand Rapids:
Grand Rapids was ranked number one by Forbes as one of the best cities to raise a family. (Forbes)
Forbes also ranked Grand Rapids as one of the worst cities for African-Americans to live. (Forbes)
Grand Rapids is the #2 best place for millenials to live. (Penny Hoarder)
The Hispanic population of Grand Rapids has the highest poverty rate at 42.3%. (MLive)
Grand Rapids has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 3.2%. (Penny Hoarder)
The Black community of Grand Rapids has the highest unemployment rate at 18%. (MLive)
As communicators and public relations professionals, it is our responsibility to start and maintain conversations within our community, and that doesn’t end when a difficult conversation is brought up.
It’s time for us as professionals, and as human beings, to own our privilege and help make West Michigan a better place for everyone.
What is privilege?
Privilege is being provided with easier access to opportunities for success than others, based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, etc. The major challenge to addressing privilege is admitting that we have it.
“Privilege is providing you with an advantage of accessing opportunities to work hard and prosper,” said Paul Doyle, moderator & host of the event. “And that often comes at the expense of others’ oppression.”
What is West Michigan Nice?
When asking the crowd of listeners what they believed the term “West Michigan Nice” meant, there were a number of interesting responses. Some of them included:
“Being agreeable, when deep down inside you know full well that you’re not being agreeable.”
“It’s the meeting after the meeting.”
Paul Doyle, the moderator of the event, after living in and observing “West Michigan Nice” for over 30 years, came up with a definition.
West Michigan Nice: A community engagement approach that provides a level of comfort ability and satisfaction, but avoids conflict or disruption of our societal niceties by keeping our interactions and relationships shallow. We can then revel in the actual encounter, especially if it’s with someone of difference than ourselves, and then have a feel-good moment as if we actually did something.
How Others Experience Our Community
Cam Young
During the summer between his junior and senior years of college, Cam Young studied abroad in Spain. On a weekend trip, he ran and jumped off a ledge into the ocean. He hit a sand bar and broke his neck, which left him as a quadriplegic.
During his speech, he shared statistics of how one in four adults live with a disability, but we still live in a world designed for people who can stand, walk, grab anything they want from the top shelf, and don’t need help opening doors. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is a shocking 63%. Based on his privileges of being a white male, he says he was able to use his network to help find a job, but others aren’t so lucky.
He still faces hardships everyday. One story that particularly stands out is how his boss scheduled a meeting in one of the only conference rooms on campus that required steps to get into. Instead of changing the meeting location, Cam went into the room next door and called into the meeting.
“People with disabilities aren’t looking for sympathy or to be your inspiration porn, but instead want empathy and understanding,” says Cam. “We want a level playing field. A ramp, not a staircase.”
Gema Lowe
Gema Lowe immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 1991. Her father passed away two years before she immigrated, and her mother could no longer afford to pay for her college education, so she made the difficult decision to leave her family to move to the U.S. The communities back in her home country have been destabilized for hundreds of years by transnational greed. This destabilization led to crime, oppression, corruption, drug trafficking, and violence.
Gema’s privilege was being born in Mexico, she only had one border to cross to get here, and she had relatives who already lived in the U.S. “For the people born here in the United States, it’s exactly that privilege. Being born here,” said Gema. “We didn’t choose where to be born, or who our parents are, or what they look like.”
In the United States, something as simple as driving can be a fearful experience for undocumented immigrants. Everyday millions of immigrants go to work or drop their children off at school and pray that they won’t be detained. Many people choose to go by foot, take public transportation, or rely on others for rides because they are not willing to risk being taken. To learn more about the work Gema has done with Cosecha, ManejarSinMiedo, and to sign their petition to help undocumented immigrants in Michigan obtain a license, click here.
Keyauna Rosemond
Keyauna Rosemond is an activist and nonprofit professional in Grand Rapids. She is the FitKids360 Program Director and has been working for the program at Health Net of West Michigan since May 2014. In her speech, she discusses the internal biases against women of color, especially LGBTQ women of color.
Here is an activity that Keyauna encouraged the audience to participate in.
Imagine you’re hiring for a position within your company, and you need someone fast. You list the required qualifications as bachelors degree, three years of experience, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision. You receive a resume from a candidate named Sasha that is absolutely perfect. She has two advanced degrees, a post grad fellowship, and ivy league prospects. “She’s a freaking unicorn,” says Keyauna. You talk to her on the phone to invite her in for a meeting, and she seems amazing.
Fast forward to the meeting day, and you’ve been told that Sasha is in the lobby waiting for you. There are two other women in the lobby who will be joining the group interview. You walk up to the tall blonde woman and greet her enthusiastically. The other two women are shorter, one of them is Latina and the other is African American. You lead them all to the meeting room, making small talk with the white woman. Asking her about her family, what church she goes to, whether she went to MSU or is a Laker. Once you reach the room, the black woman speaks up. She introduces herself as Sasha.
After going through this activity, Keyauna asked the audience to close their eyes and think about how they pictured the woman she described. Was she white?
“The woman, Sasha, is my experience repeatedly of being highly qualified, but packaged in a way that doesn’t meet, or challenges, assumptions about gay black women,” said Keyauna.
What does it mean to own your privilege?
We need to make an intentional effort to embrace and nurture what others share with us. Their stories, their experiences, and their realities mean something. The first step to helping others is owning our own privilege. Here’s how we can do that:
When confronted about your privilege, don’t take it personally or use discomfort as an excuse to disengage.
Learn when to listen and when to speak up. When you are in a discussion with someone who is experiencing oppression, don’t dominate or rush the conversation by injecting your questions. Listen. Then use your voice to amplify their voice.
Educate yourself, but don’t expect an oppressed person to educate you. You can ask questions if they are willing to answer, but there are other resources available for you to use.
Educate your relationship circles. Your personal relationships and your professional relationships. Share what you’ve learned. Push through the discomfort and demand courageous conversation.
Risk your privilege to benefit and help others. If you see oppression in action, leverage your privilege and intervene. When you see something wrong, don’t just let it happen.
The five statements above will help fuel our actions moving forward. We can’t step back into our comfort zones. Have discussions at home with your family, and at work with your colleagues. As public relations professionals, it is our duty to continue this crucial conversation.
This recap was written by Allyssa Murphy. She is a student at Grand Valley State University studying Advertising and Public Relations. She is also an Account Executive at the GVSU student run PR firm GrandPR. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
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