Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP’s Post

It’s good that there are laws against discrimination in the workplace. The crown act is one such law. Braided hair and head dress should not be be used as a weapon against anyone. BUT! a line will be drawn at some point …… Companies do have policies and guidelines about acceptable behavior, dress codes etc. If one is not prepared to accept these policies and guidelines, then don’t seek employment in those organizations. Having interviewed many individuals seeking employment ( over 35+years), I am well aware of lines that I could not cross during the interview. However, there were several people I didn’t hire because of their appearance ( regardless of ethnicity- bad attitude demonstrated by body language and verbal responses, unpressed clothes, pants hanging off their behind, dirty long finger nails, hair that look weird and unkempt - braided or not, hair with crazy colored curls etc.). Many came to the interview looking good in every respect, and were hired. During the orientation period all guidelines and expectations were reviewed and accepted by the new staff. As soon as the orientation/probationary period was completed, the pants started to fall off the behind, store bought hair/braids reached down to the behind; funky clothes, unacceptable foot wear and head wraps appeared etc. At this point, I have to waste time on disciplinary action. I will fight for and defend the right to braids/headdress overall. But I will always look at the entire picture. It’s not always about the braids! What’s wrong with clean, neat and tidy!

Representation matters! Advocacy matters!

The case of Marcellus Williams, who faces execution in Missouri despite DNA evidence proving his innocence, highlights the consistent patterns of systemic racism within our justice system. His conviction was based on unreliable witness testimony and a lack of physical evidence. Despite evidence proving his innocence, the Missouri Attorney General’s office continues to try to block this evidence. Since the founding of this country, the burden of proving innocence for Black individuals has remained unjustly high. Historic biases have perpetuated the unfair belief that Black people are inherently criminal, undermining their right to equal protection under the law. These patterns aren’t new to Missouri and keep emerging, demonstrating the urgent need for police reform and a fairer legal system. We must expose these injustices and have a Courageous Conversation® to bring equality and justice for all. Share this post to help raise awareness. #CourageousConversation #Equity #MarcellusWilliams #Freedom #innocent

Justice For All: Discrimination In The Workplace! Racism has never been so brutal in the workplace, as it is now. Those who makes the law ensures that racism is impossible to prove. Why? Because they are all guilty as hell and know that it will impact on them too. Wicked brutes! I have been supporting various employees who suffers and have suffered from discrimination at work. This ranges from: harassment, bullying, intimidation, victimisation, racism, sexism and much more. These victims, includes: Headteachers / Teachers, Health & Social Care Staff, Security Personnel, Probation Service Officer(s) etc. Much of this is to get rid of Black Workers and replacing them with family and friends. They band together, so the Black Worker is left completely isolated. What about complain to management and trade unions. This is where much of the problem is! Essentially, Black People are on their own. If government become involved, they do a crappy investigation and comes back with a crappy report that lessons are being learnt and the problem becomes worst. if the entire system system is an institutionalised racist one, who and what do you trust? Well, Black People needs to focus on Africa, according to Marcus Moziah Garvery. We will get there!

🔍 **Exploring 'Body' in 'How to Be an Anti-Racist' by Ibram X. Kendi** 🔍 Chapter 6 presents a compelling examination of societal fears around the black body, the intertwining of race and class, and the critical need for justice system reform. Here are key insights: 1️⃣ **Confronting Constructed Fears**: Kendi addresses the unfounded societal fear of the black body, challenging us to dismantle the stereotypes that unjustly associate black individuals with danger 🚫👤. 2️⃣ **Intersecting Race and Class**: This chapter offers a deep dive into how race and class are inextricably linked, advocating for a comprehensive approach to addressing both for true equality and justice ⚖️💼. 3️⃣ **Rethinking Criminal Justice**: Kendi argues for renaming the 'criminal justice system' to a 'criminal punishment system' to reflect its disproportionate impact on black communities. He calls for systemic change that focuses on justice and rehabilitation 🏛️➡️🕊️. As professionals committed to equity and justice, this chapter pushes us to reevaluate our perceptions and the structural biases that persist in our society and institutions. 🤔 **How can we, as a professional community, contribute to challenging these biases and fostering a more just and equitable system in our workplaces and beyond?** #HowToBeAnAntiRacist #IbramXKendi #SystemicChange #EquityAndJustice #ProfessionalDevelopment #DiversityAndInclusion

In today's Juneteenth Knowledge Series post, we discuss the realities post-Juneteenth. Did you know that despite the end of slavery, Black Americans faced systemic discrimination through Black Codes and Jim Crow laws, which enforced racial segregation and economic disparity? #Equality #BlackHistory #DEIEmpowerHour #LearnWithMe

The stats prove that there is not adequate representation of Black women in the criminal justice system. At the SCWLF, we aim to empower and support Black women prosecutors to achieve their career goals and diversify the justice system. #DiversityInJustice #SCWLF

The concept of respectability politics, which involves Black people adhering to white standards to gain respect, is not effective in achieving equality. The article argues that the system is not built for Black people, and that respectability politics is a way for Black people to fight each other instead of the system. The article highlights the case of Clarence Thomas, who is accused of voting for the dissolution of Affirmative Action, and argues that the only way to achieve equality is by banding together and sticking together. Read the full story by Zahiyah Carter at dallasweekly.com #imdw #blackpress #clarencethomas #ketanjibrownjackson #respectabilitypolitics #blackcommunity #blackfreedom

MLK got us going but there is lots of work left for us to do. For many of us, today seems fine. For the most part, overt racism and discrimination is a thing of the past. At least, and especially if we are white, we don’t seem to notice that kind of thing. I suppose part of the problem is that we can only remember what we remember. Historically and institutionally speaking, however, we remain within a single human lifetime of a day when discrimination and separation based on race was both widespread and legal. Prior to that, and working backwards, there were generations that experienced actual human slavery and bondage. And then you layer on top of that history all the governmental and institutional bodies and actors that not only “went along” with that system but benefitted by it. All that doesn’t just go away when we pass a Civil Rights or any other law. The hurt, the harm, and the continuing power structure run deep and wide. I personally think the Civil Rights movement needs us today more than ever. We are more diverse in race, religion, national origin and LGBTQQIP2SAA identity than ever before. Politics, conflicts and power struggles both internationally and domestically now seamlessly transition into attacks on groups other than our own. And meanwhile, institutional discrimination continues against black, brown and other marginalized communities. I feel like it’s a great and yet critical time to be a lawyer for justice. How bout you?

"Despite human rights being protected by federal, provincial and territorial laws, racist and discriminatory stereotypes about people of African Descent permeate contemporary society and disproportionally impact the social, economic, educational, and health outcomes of Black men, women and children. Whether they are descendants of those who were enslaved or recent immigrants, people of African Descent are united by a shared, lived experience with anti-Black racism. It is within this tension that the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic launched Together We Rise (TWR)!" Read more about Together We Rise and the work they do here: https://lnkd.in/gU_BrN5r