HBR Presents

What the black community in America and minority communities around the world really have dealt with is generational trauma for as long as people can remember they have been going through experiences that are highly stressful, highly traumatic,

without any release. And they have had to live their lives in trauma. And what's happening

right now, it's a re-traumatization.

I'm Maura Ernst Millie, and this is The Anxious Achiever.

We look at stories from business leaders who've dealt with anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges,

how they fell down, how they pick themselves back up, and how they help workplaces can change in the future.

Thank you. up and how they help workplaces can change in the future. Today, we zoom in on the mental health impact of this moment, this excruciating moment in the

aftermath of the murders of George Floyd, Ahmad Aubrey and Briona Taylor,

where the trauma of 400 years has exploded with new urgency and power into all our lives,

even if many of us had the privilege to ignore it before. We will talk with two wise leaders how

the pain plays out at work for people of color, and

how white people need to think about having discussions around police brutality and race

in the workplace right now.

I speak with Amelia Ransom, senior director for engagement and diversity at Avalera, and

Beaneh Shah, who is the chief growth strategist at Lupin Tye, and also a lawyer

and writer. You will hear me ask questions that I, as a white manager, who wants to support

black people, feel anxious asking, because talking about race, confronting the everyday impact

of racism is something many of us avoid, but we cannot. So I hope this

episode is helpful to all listeners, and I would love to hear your feedback.

Amelia, you work in diversity and employee engagement at a big company, and I wanted to ask you, I mean, we are, the cliche is unprecedented times, but really unprecedented times right now.

And in your job, how much have you sort of thought through a scenario like this?

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