Courageous Conversations first started in June 2020 as part of the nationwide calls for more awareness, accountability, and action following the murder of George Floyd.
We recognized that for many of our staff, this was a painful, stressful, and confusing time. As a firm that has J.E.D.I. (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) as one of its core values, it seemed natural that we could, and should, create safe spaces for our employees to share, learn, heal, and grow together.
In preparing for the first conversation, we recognized that while these conversations were meant to be helpful, having conversations on race and social justice issues within the workplace would be difficult. People may not want to talk openly about their own experiences, while others might feel uncomfortable asking questions or being transparent about their own naivete about the experiences of their colleagues. For that reason, we made a decision not to record any of the conversations – so that all could feel more comfortable speaking freely, without the worry that their words or thoughts at the moment would be saved indefinitely. Participation in the conversations is encouraged, but also completely voluntary.
