In order to create a healthier and more successful place to work it is important that each person in our team listens to and tries to empathize with the experiences of others in our team. It’s the Human First way to do things, but it also makes sure we can live up to the other values in our ETHOS like Selfishly Diverse and Ethically Ambitious.

There is no prescribed methodology to eradicate injustice in the workplace. However, I firmly believe that a really important first step is developing an understanding and education which allows us to be vulnerable in conversations and face uncomfortable truths that we’ve become too accustomed to avoiding. This can be difficult when it comes to topics which may be sensitive or difficult to understand without your own lived experiences.

It is important to note that it is not the responsibility of those in our team who have faced in justices or may be a part of a marginalised group, to explain the effects or inner workings of inequality. What this means in the most basic terms: It is not the responsibility of our black colleagues to explain racism, for our women colleagues to explain sexism, or for our trans colleagues to explain transphobia. It is our responsibilities as colleagues to educate ourselves.

Educating yourself on these topics can be difficult, particularly if you feel you are coming in to this topic with little understanding or background. One of the best ways to better understand the experiences of marginalized and underrepresented groups is through storytelling. For this reason I am happy to begin the Whereby IDEA library.

In order to offer our entire team an opportunity to educate themselves and better connect with our diverse team, we will offer any of the books listed below to be delivered to your home (or e-book) free of charge, including via audible or any other audio-book of your choice.

What actions should you take?

I (@Øyvind Reed) would love if everyone at Whereby reads at least one of these books each year during their time with us at Whereby.

These titles may change from time to time as our knowledge and library expands or evolves. Please speak to @Øyvind Reed if you have any suggestions to add.

<aside> 📌 Please purchase these items on your Pleo and mark them as “IDEA Library” in the comments. We encourage you to purchase these books through locally owned (and ideally minority owned!) book stores wherever possible. Pleo category: 6860

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  1. **Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald**. Written in 2016, this book examines the implicit biases that each person has, dubbed by the authors as one’s “blindspot.” The authors discuss the Implicit Association Test, one of the most popular tools to measure one’s unconscious or implicit bias. Through a scientific and heavily research lens, Banaji and Greenwald discuss what causes us to have blindspots and how we can overcome our personal biases and adapt our beliefs and behaviors.
  2. Demanding More: Why Diversity and Inclusion Don't Happen and What You Can Do About It by Sheree Atcheson a compelling, wide-ranging analysis of trans lives from youth to old age, exploring work, family, housing, healthcare, the prison system, and trans participation in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities, in contemporary Britain and beyond.
  3. ***Why I'm no longer talking to White People about race by Reni Eddo-Lodge*** Exploring issues from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race. She posted a piece on her blog, entitled: 'Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race' that led to this book which I suggest to read first.
  4. ***Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez*** Data is fundamental to the modern world. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make crucial decisions. But because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money, and too often with their lives.
  5. **We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown**. From 19 century Europe to the Stonewall Riots and beyond, this book serves as an excellent visual representation of the journey through LGBTQ+ history. A great resource for anyone hoping to learn and understand more about LGBTQ+ history.
  6. **The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice by Shon Faye** is a 2021 non-fiction book on the subject of transgender liberation in the United Kingdom. Faye explores how issues of social class, employment and housing insecurity, police violence and prisons, and sex work affect transgender people.
  7. **No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement by Joseph P. Shapiro**. Despite being published over 20 years ago, this 1994 book is a great resource to help readers better understand the experiences of those who are differently-abled. Shapiro draws on history to help the reader better grasp the experiences of those with different disabilities.
  8. ***Did that just happen?* by Dr. Stephanie Pinder-Amaker and Dr. Lauren Wadsworth**. Offering real-life accounts that illustrate common workplace occurrences around inclusivity and answers to questions like "How do I identify and handle diversity landmines at work?"  and "What can I do when I've made a mistake?" this handbook breaks down ways that organizations (and all people) can improve their cultural awareness and become more equitable in their work and personal relationships.