- From
-
Published on
14.06.24
On 16 May, the CGIAR Forum Against Inequality and Racism (FAIR) Employee-led Resource Group hosted an event themed “From bystander to ally, taking action against racism.” This Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion (GDI) event aimed to empower participants to move beyond passive observation of racism to becoming active allies in the fight against it.
Armelle Coudreau, Procurement Administrator at the CGIAR Systems Organization, moderated the session. She addressed the complexities individuals face when deciding whether to respond to instances of racism. She highlighted that many people have experienced discrimination at some point and emphasized the importance of recognizing these unfair situations. Coudreau provided tools and strategies to help participants transition from mere bystanders to active allies against racism.
Aparna Mittal, Diversity Expert and CEO, led a series of interactive exercises, allowing participants to share their experiences with discrimination. Mittal shared her experiences, expressing a deep commitment to preventing others from enduring similar injustices. Through exercises based on real-life scenarios, she explained how racial discrimination manifests globally, driven by factors such as skin color, facial features, culture, and accent. She added that acts of racism can include denial of rights and benefits and the inappropriate use of power by law enforcement agents.