Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | June 22, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 25 Don't be le on the sidelines V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L I n times of crisis, both the economy and people's way of thinking can undergo a paradigm shi. For nimble business owners, it is important to recognize these shis, change with the times, and even stay ahead of the curve in order to ensure your company's long-term survival. is is the entrepreneurial way of thinking, even if your organization shied out of the startup stage long ago. e first three months of the coronavirus pandemic have taught us all the importance of staying on our toes. Even as the economy seemed on the brink of falling apart, we saw companies innovate at light speed to modify how they operate, while keeping their workforces safe, distanced and still productive. Businesses of all kinds are adapting to new technologies in real time. New products have been developed, and an entire community of companies pitched in by pivoting to make hand sanitizer, personal protective equipment or simply donate money to support those suffering most from the pandemic. e next crisis in our nation appeared to come on just as quick as COVID-19 had, although – in reality – the wounds had been festering for not just decades, but centuries. e killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis on May 25, the release of the video detailing the act, and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests around the world seem to have finally made the majority of Americans realize how institutional racism is a problem that will take everybody to solve. Unlike COVID-19 and its ensuing economic shutdown, whose business impacts were swi and widespread, the movement against institutional racism doesn't have the same let's-grab-our- bootstraps-and-do-what-we-can-to-help-out inspiration to it. Yes, companies have put out statements in support and some have held Black Lives Matter rallies of their own or donated money to racial justice causes. But most are le at a loss as to what exactly they can do to help. When you are dealing with deeply ingrained societal issues built over decades of fear, abuse and neglect, it's not as easy as saying, "Let's make hand sanitizer or facemasks." But just like the rapid response to the coronavirus pandemic, those business leaders who aren't adopting an entrepreneurial attitude to the endemic injustice risk being le behind. From a high-level perspective, the move toward greater racial equity begins with understanding the talent and value each member of our society brings, and how that can be made of use in the Central Massachusetts business community. As WBJ found in our City of Immigrants report in 2018, immigrants to Worcester have a much higher rate of entrepreneurialism than native-born residents. (Immigrants make up 22% of the city's population but 36% of its business owners.) e Boardroom Gap investigative series, which WBJ has run for three years now, has shown companies with a more equitable mix of men and women in leadership positions tend to have higher profits and happier employees. e talent and value of the black community in America and even in Central Massachusetts has been repressed due to a combination of factors, such as poverty, unequal education systems, unfair lending practices, and mistreatment by police. If we are to have a lasting fix to this problem, we first must understand its impact at many levels, and then address them with effective and lasting policy change. Goodwill and increased awareness are a start, but won't get the job done. Change is never easy, and we're at a historic juncture for our region and our nation. Embracing change and figuring out how you and your organization can be part of the needed positive reform is critical, because if you stay on the sideline while the world is changing, eventually you'll be le in the dust. W Racism starts in your heart T he killing of John Crawford III, a 22-year-old African-American man shopping in Walmart killed by a police officer – no indictment Eric Garner – no indictment Michael Brown – no indictment Ezell Ford – no indictment Terrill omas, a 38-year-old Afri- can-American inmate dies aer the jail shuts off his water Tanisha Anderson – no indictment Akai Gurley – conviction; Sentence: five-years probation Tamir Rice, a 12 year old shot and killed while playing in his local park – no indictment Sandra Bland – no indictment Philando Castile – officer found not guilty Trayvon Martin – gunman found not guilty Breonna Taylor – undetermined Ahmaud Arbery – gunmen charged George Floyd – officers charged ese are newer cases, not a new problem. In 1955, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American boy, was ab- ducted, tortured, and shot before being sunk in a Mississippi river; 65 years later, still no indictment. ese lives were horrifically taken, and while they were killed once, a piece of the black community died twice, because justice wasn't even an aerthought unless there was aermath: protests, violence, outcries from the streets. Aer…math. Yes, aer we do the math: the tragic loss of one life, plus another, and another equate to domestic ter- rorism. Yes, terrorism. Rather serve and protect, the police attitude toward the black community over the decades has amounted to a group furthering ideological goals based on race, which is the definition of terrorism. Since the rest of the nation doesn't have the same expe- rience with police, some see this as a black people issue, and others look at our country's history and determine it's a white people issue. Really, though, this is a human issue. is is not a pop quiz on identifying our colors: white, black, or any other. is exam is to test what is in our hearts. While a knee was on George Floyd's neck, it was the weight of what was in Derek Chauvin's heart that suffocated him. Racism is a systemic problem. We hear this and perceive the vice as far removed. It's important to note, systems are created and operated by people; people with minds and hearts to perpetuate ideologies and self-made truths. What's in our hearts allows a white cop to casually shut off George Floyd's air supply, despite his cries for help. What's in the hearts of the attorneys and the jury will deter- mine the sentence preferred against Floyd's killer. Closer to home, what's in our hearts stopped us from calling that qualified candidate for the interview because we couldn't pronounce his name. Or why pay and health disparities still widely exist today. What's in our hearts has led to our C-suites being primarily homogeneous in nature. is is a call to action to stand against racism, but beyond taking a stand publicly, we must be willing to sit privately and deeply search our souls. It's a matter of the heart. Tamara Lundi is the interim president of Community Health- link at UMass Memorial Health Care in Worcester. BY TAMARA LUNDI Special to the Worcester Business Journal Tamara Lundi WO R D F R O M T H E W E B Facebook feedback "Fantastic news for Worcester!" – Beth Waterfall, June 12, about Worcester's fih dispensary, Diem Cannabis, opening on June 12 "Who still goes to the mall?" – Amanda McLaughlin, June 11, about Central Mass. malls reopening aer coronavirus-induced closures Tweets of the Week "If you haven't listened to this podcast, you should. Mark shares his perspective on how we all can move forward to address racism and create real change." – Eric Dickson (@EricDicksonCEO), CEO of Umass Memorial Health Care, June 16, on WBJ's podcast with Dr. Mark Johnson "Businesses have been making changes to keep both employees and patrons safe." – Bowditch & Dewey (@BowditchDewey), June 10, on how they are adjusting to the workplace's new normal The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. W

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