Worcester Business Journal

28 Worcester Business Journal | April 4, 2022 | wbjournal.com Ensure your team has ALL ACCESS to WBJ. We offer discounted group subscriptions starting at 5 users. Reach out to us at circulation@wbjournal.com for a quote. WBJ What Worcester's elite fail to understand about inclusion I n reading Worcester Business Journal's piece on "Infiltrating Worcester's Inner Circle" from March 21, one of my first reac- tions was, why would anyone want to? e fact the "elites" of Worcester are eager to present themselves as wel- coming and accessible to anyone who just picks up the phone and gives them a call, or reaches across the table for a handshake and an introduction (all while waxing poetic about the origins of the closed-door, invite-only meet- ings where a group of carefully curated individuals form the actual power structure of the city) demonstrates just how out of touch, complacent, and exclusionary they are. Here's the question that needs to be asked: What are Worcester's elite doing to step back and share power, especial- ly with people they don't know yet, people who don't look like them, who aren't in the inner circle? If they truly, genuinely, and actually care about diversity and inclusion, then how are they relinquishing credit and giving others opportunities? How are they making an effort to dismantle the very real barriers exist- ing for people outside their privileged circles? Because putting up a sign saying "All Are Welcome" and thinking the work stops there is lazy at best, cynical at worst. I know this, because I've seen it happen in the cra beer industry for decades. And the truth is most of what's great about Worcester has happened not because of this group of men, but without or oen in spite of them. e best parts of Worcester have been created by women, Black and Brown people, immigrants, the queer community, and the arts community (many of these communities overlap) making grassroots efforts to get things done, and then having to fight to pre - serve what they've built in the face of Worcester's encroaching "renaissance". People in this city have been show- ing up for years, only to have their voices and experiences ignored by those people who are in power, those who claim to want them there, and those who claim to welcome everyone, but in the reality of their actions do no such thing. Not only are these types of old boys clubs by definition exclusive and oen toxic, they are scarcely relevant to a newer generation used to figuring it out ourselves, are already a few steps ahead of them, and are not particu- larly eager to kiss the ring in order to have a seat at their table. ere are other tables, aer all. Ostensibly, the only interesting thing about these men is their power. But, again, who cares? How are they proving they are wor- thy of our time and attention? What value are they providing? Do they fight for real people and their needs, or their own power and relevance? Maybe it's on Worcester's inner circle to do better, rather than putting the onus on the rest of us to come and ask for an invitation. Dani Babineau is the CEO & co- founder of Redemption Rock Brewing Co. in Worcester. BY DANI BABINEAU Guest Column "Putting up a sign saying 'All Are Welcome' and thinking the work stops there is lazy at best, cynical at worst." W

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