When I was growing up, and in the years since I’ve co-run Anima Leadership, I’ve searched out words from people who I could identify with. Books by Indigenous and racialized authors are starting to emerge in the fiction and non-fiction spaces, but not in the world of leadership and organizations. Those shelves are still dominated by white male writers with a few white women like Brene Brown and Cheryl Sandberg dotted in for good measure.
I look at people who surround me on the subway every day, the audience in any organization I’m called in to speak to, the faces of all those who have taken the BIPOC Leader Lab over the last five years and I wonder – where are all of us on those shelves? In a country like Canada which prides itself on an inclusive democracy, why are the decisions still being made by a relatively small homogenous group of WASPy men across every sector and institution? This book was written to bridge that gap, speaking directly to those of us who need to hear ourselves now more than ever, as well as white leaders who need to hear this message now more than ever.
Take a look at recent stats:
Black folks represent 14% of the US population, but only 7% of the workforce and only 4% of executive positions; [1]
People who are Latinx represent 19% of the overall population and 4% of executive positions; [2]
East Asians represent 21% of the US population and only 6% of senior leadership; [3]
Indigenous people in Canada represent 6 percent of the population but only 0.8 percent of board positions; [i]
When we look at race and gender together, the number of racialized women in senior leadership drops down to half of the estimated numbers above. [4]
For any organization, any society, any nation to stay healthy, sustainable and democratic we need to hear all the voices, especially those who are systemically and historically underrepresented in the hallways of power and decision-making. Consider helping to amplify BIPOC voices and leadership by grabbing a copy of this unicorn of a book and passing it along.
“I don’t talk about leadership neutrally. This book is an invitation to be part of changing the ubiquitous conditions holding back BIPOC folks and other minoritized groups in the workplace. The leadership pathway, frameworks, and skills I offer here are in service of changing the discriminatory systems we find ourselves in, challenging the corrupt uses of power, and ultimately cultivating more interconnectedness and belonging in our workplaces and society. I want you to feel as though you matter and belong, and I hope you create more of that for others. That’s the wish at the heart of this book.”
— Fire and Silence: A Roadmap for BIPOC Leaders
What Others Have to Say:
“Fire and Silence is a powerful, unflinching guide for BIPOC leaders navigating systems that were not built for us. With wisdom, vulnerability, and clarity, Dashtgard offers both solace and strategy, making this book an essential companion for changemakers.” — Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto
“This would be an important book at any time, but in the present context of heightened divisions, anger and hate, it is an excellent and timely resource for leaders as they navigate troubled waters.” — The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, OC, O.Ont.
“This book is a must read for leaders navigating today’s workplace full of rapid shifts, uncertainty, and polarization. Both a practical guide and a personal call to action, Annahid’s words are uniquely positioned to help BIPOC leaders navigate with authority and compassion.”
— Deepa Purushothaman, author of The First, The Few, The Only
What Next:
Sources:
McKinsey & Company. Race in the Workplace: The Black Experience in the US Private Sector. 21 Feb. 2021, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/race-in-the-workplace-the-black-experience-in-the-us-private-sector.
HACR. 2016 CORPORATE INCLUSION INDEX. May 2016, hacr.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2016-HACR-CII-1.pdf.
Goon, Caroline, et al. “Examining the Asian American Leadership Gap and Inclusion Issues with Federal Employee Data: Recommendations for Inclusive Workforce Analytic Practices.” Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics, vol. 7, no. 958750, Sept. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2022.958750.
The Diversity Institute. “Skills for Inclusive Workplaces and the Advancement of Indigenous Peoples”. May 2024, www.torontomu.ca/content/dam/diversity/reports/DI-FS%20CCAB%20Indigenous%20Leadership%20and%20Skills%20-%20May2024_FINAL.pdf.
McKinsey & Company. Women in the Workplace. 5 Oct. 2023, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace.