‘Silence Is a Statement’ brings topic of race into the workplace
“Not talking about race actually increases the sense of bias somebody already has … studies show that ignoring race can exacerbate rather than alleviate issues of race in the workplace,” said Allison Manswell, author of “Listen In: Crucial Conversations on Race in the Workplace.” Manswell, a certified professional in learning and performance (CPLP), delivered her remarks at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Diversity Dialogue titled “Silence Is a Statement: Understanding Race in the Workplace” on Nov. 15. Race must be discussed — if only to diversify the workforce — particularly at a place such as Harvard, she said. “When you don’t talk about it, you don’t have a frame of reference. You just know what you see on television. “Because of who you are, you have the responsibility to be the leaders, not just in academia, but in the thought world and in the nation — for doing this right,” Manswell said....