I believe we all are responsible to pay it forward based on the privilege that we all have. The privilege that I have as an educated Black woman means that I have the privilege of sharing with others what I know based on my lived experiences, in a way that meets people where they are in their personal journey of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging that may happen to begin in the workplace.
I am careful not to use my privilege in pursuit of this work to convince anyone that I'm “right,” but because I prioritize meeting people where they are in a way that my message can be received in their heart, work itself into their mind, and manifest in their behavior.
So, what do you do with your privilege? First of all, how can you identify different privileges that you have? Like me, you probably have more than one. What does your privilege look like, what does it feel like, what does it sound like, what does it act like? Here is a really helpful exercise to do to start to identity and reflect on various privileges you have that you might not even be aware of: https://uca.edu/training/files/2017/11/Privilege-Exercises-Action-Steps-Handout.pdf. Then, it can be helpful to think about how can you transfer the benefits of your privilege to someone else, in ways that are meaningful, and inclusive?