Five Things to Consider when Choosing a Racial Equity Consultant-2
August 2, 2022

Five Things to Consider when Choosing a Racial Equity Consultant

Racial justice? Diversity, equity, and inclusion? Representation? You’ve likely been aware of a continuous call to action with these words and phrases to push forward critical and transformative change in this country. Through ongoing conversations and advocacy that challenge our understanding of social justice at work and home, hiring a racial equity consultant for your organization might have crossed your mind. 

Here are the top 5 things you should consider when hiring a racial equity consultant. 

  1. Intersectional Approach:  As defined by Kimberleé Crenshaw, “Intersectionality is a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects.” Using an intersectional approach means examining how the experiences of those with marginalized identities (race, gender, sexual orientation, class) inform and influence each other.  
  2. Collective Liberation Mindset: What is collective liberation and why is this the focus of so many racial equity practitioners? Simply put, collective liberation focuses on marginalized people because it acknowledges that ALL people must be free of oppression. Your racial equity consultant must recognize that to dismantle oppressive systems, it takes collective action from everyone. We can’t do this without acknowledging our liberation is bound in shared power and community. 
  3. Radical Imagination and Creativity: While considering hiring a racial equity consultant, that our current institutions and systems are not serving everyone. Oppressive systems such as white supremacy are pervasive. To dismantle oppressive systems, your racial equity consultant should be imaginative and open to working outside the norm to uplift new voices, gifts, and expertise. 
  4. Organizational Development Expertise: A racial equity consultant must have many areas of expertise. They seek to learn and teach racial equity concepts and theories, support clients on their journey, and operationalize racial equity values. To operationalize racial equity values, a consultant also needs to be well-versed in guiding organizations’ internal processes. This includes conducting a comprehensive assessment of organizational values, norms and practices. Then they need to ground-truth and report these research findings back to both a client’s staff and leadership.
  5. Masterful Facilitation: Hiring a racial equity consultant means acknowledging that your organization is ready to shift cultures. They must be a masterful facilitator who can create a brave space, create trust, gather and process massive data in real time, co-create community agreement, build relationships, and eventually enact strategies in a collaborative way. 

At Converge, our racial equity consultants can do all of the above. We serve our clients through our Racial and Intersectional Equity framework, Strategic Planning, Board Development, Convening Development, Coalition Management, Landscape Scan Research, and Power and Place analysis. We pride ourselves in our proven approaches that yield optimal results. 

For those seeking more insights or assistance in this important search, please contact Converge today!