10 Timeless Reminders For Racial Equity Leaders Who Are In Civil Service

Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House on January 26, 2021, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Drew Angerer / Getty

Changes in administration and political shifts are a common occurrence. Some changes signify an end to a policy or practice, and some are a momentary bump in the road. In recent years, many civil servants were given the political cover to lead with and center racial equity at the federal level. Following the November election, these leaders may feel their actions are out of step.

If history has taught us anything, it has taught us that racial equity is not a seasonal priority. In a nation of 335 million people, there will always be a need for civil servants who are willing to ask: Are there deficits; Who is bearing the burden of deficits; and how do we ensure well-intentioned efforts don’t make deficits worse?

During my tenure as a federal employee, I occasionally reminded myself that George Patton stated, “if everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” Now is not the time to pack away or retire good ideas. A few years ago, Anthony Fauci, M.D., didn’t subscribe to the pressures of groupthink, and his actions saved lives. In a like manner, racial equity leaders can be equally shrewd and tenacious. The following reminders may be useful for anyone working on racial equity inside public institutions, especially at the federal level.

1. Remember your oath as well as the ethics that serve as your North Star.
2. Take a moment to assess your changing landscape.
3. Don’t abandon what you have learned. Continue to invest in the development of your racial equity ‘hard skills’.
4. Identify your legal anchor. The law is sacrosanct, and the law is still the law until it is repealed. What law gives you the flexibility and discretion to advance equity with confidence?
5. Have accountability partners. Seek out peers who support your vision. Work with peer groups and role models.
6. Join a professional association that shares your values and works in the interest of your community.
7. Take a ‘calculated’ risk. Then take another one.
8. Don’t seek permission. Either public service is a public trust, or it isn’t.
9. When you can’t change the institution, change how you managed your projects.
10. Write. Your narrative matters. Track lessons for sharing with others.

Public policy isn’t based on a static model. Instead, it is constantly being informed by new trends, opportunities and challenges. Encouraging racial equity is the unfinished business of public administration. Although naming it at the federal level is new, the topic has been the focus of professional sectors, civil society organizations, and academic scholars for decades. The electoral results underscore the fact that the fight for racial justice continues. It is imperative that we view these results as one chapter in a long struggle to advance a multi-racial democracy.

This is not the end. Instead, it is a continuation of our work.

Occasionally, leaders wrestle with the question of “being out of place” versus being in work environments that are “out of touch.” Take comfort in knowing that professional trailblazers are never out of place. Instead, you may be in a work environment that needs to catch up.

Carlton Eley, MSURP, is the senior director of federal strategies for Race Forward.

SEE ALSO:

Op-Ed: It’s Time For The Federal Government To Lead On Racial Equity

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