Empathy is Not About Shared Experience. It’s About Shared Humanity.

Angela Solomon • Mar 02, 2021

Today, March 2nd, is the Day of Empathy. This day of commemoration was started by The Dream Corps in order to raise awareness for members of our society living in incarceration. In some ways, 2020 felt to me like the year of empathy. Like all social movements, tides of change come with an equal and opposite reaction and while we certainly saw the violence, hatred, bigotry and ignorance of the American people in 2020, we also saw tremendous movements towards empathy.


In my mind, Black Lives Matter is a monumental shift towards getting back to the basics of human respect. It can be overwhelming to keep up with all of the social movements going on right now that are aimed at dismantling longstanding social hierarchies, doing away with microaggressions and oppression of marginalized groups of people: black and brown members of our society, our queer community, our trans community, our incarcerated community, our neurodiverse community and our disabled community. In 2020, it felt like every marginalized group of people in America was screaming out to be heard, to be respected and for us to change the ways in which we view them and speak about them in order to reflect this respect. 


Often when we attempt to break a movement down to its constituent parts, it feels overwhelming, as if we’re attempting to individually move and coordinate every gear and lever of a watch. Which is impossible and certainly overwhelming. How can we possibly get anything done when our entire lives are consumed by constantly adjusting our speech so as to be non-offensive in every arena when we’ve had years of indoctrination in the opposite direction? But it’s only overwhelming until we pull back and see the movement at large—until we see where it all connects. And where it all connects is empathy. 


Empathy is defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”. What this definition lacks however, is the necessary suspension of shared experience that’s required in order to truly empathize with someone who is very different from us. 


It’s easy to empathize with someone who has lived a very similar life to ours. It’s more challenging to empathize with someone who has been the victim of our unassuming but deeply problematic actions. Or to empathize with someone who has lived such a different life than we have that their experience of the world doesn’t even resemble ours. At these times, we must do two things:


  1. We must suspend the necessity to understand the experiences of others in order to simply respect and honor them. This looks like: receiving another’s experience without judgement or discernment and trusting that they, as humans, are truthful and heartfelt and are simply seeing a different side of the world than we are capable of seeing. In this way, without the requirement for “understanding” or “relating” to another’s experience in order to honor it, we are capable of expanding our own awareness in order to encompass that of another, thereby forming a society that is more than the sum of its parts. 
  2. And we must dig deeper in our search for shared experience: past the point of differences and division, to the place where we all meet as human beings, surviving in a world, together.


When viewed in this light, when we shift the requirement for empathy from shared “experience” or “understanding” to shared humanity, it all looks very simple. It all boils down to one set of fundamental truths: we all deserve respect, we are all legitimate, we are all the same. 


Drop your gavel. Trust one another. Happy Empathy, friends. 

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Sly Stone started Sly and the Family Stone in 1966. The band consisted of Sly’s brother and sister, as well as four other individuals, both black and white, male and female. It was the first American rock band to be racially diverse and integrated. They were one family, singing about unity, in the 1960’s. That should not have been revolutionary. But it was. Sly Stone is still alive. But he’s lost to a long history of drugs. It is so often those who preach the most pure ideals who find that they are the ones who are least capable of existing in the world without drugs or alcohol to mute the pain of division they see around them. But they still preach unity. And doing so changes the world. Just not fast enough.

I AM someone who sees incredible potential in places most people don't think to look. As a black woman, small business owner of a diversity staffing boutique, my team and I walk alongside our Clients in creating professional environments that are truly for ALL. I believe in our interconnectedness as a human race and strive every day to use my gifts to empower the workplace’s invisible and powerless. I rarely bet on certainty and always root for the underdog because, after all, those are the best stories to tell.

Diversity Recruiting Gone Wrong: Common Mistakes That Perpetuate Racial Bias

By Angela Solomon • 24 Apr, 2024
Diversity and inclusion have become critical priorities for many organizations in the corporate world. However, the methods used to achieve greater diversity in the workforce often fall short, perpetuating racial biases rather than dismantling them. In this post, we'll explore the underlying challenges and propose a more holistic approach to creating truly equitable and inclusive workplaces. The recent New York Times article titled: What Researchers Discovered When They Sent 80,000 Fake Resumes to U.S. Jobs highlights a sobering reality – decades of diversity initiatives have failed to address the persistent racial discrimination in hiring practices. This reveals a fundamental flaw in how many organizations have approached the challenge of diversity and inclusion. Too often, the focus has been on quick-fix solutions, such as setting diversity quotas or hosting one-off training sessions. While these measures may create an illusion of progress, they fail to address the deep-rooted systemic biases that continue to shape hiring decisions and workplace culture. To make meaningful and lasting change, organizations need to take a more comprehensive and sustained approach. This begins with acknowledging the complexity of the problem and recognizing that diversity and inclusion are not just HR concerns, but rather strategic priorities that must be embedded throughout the entire organization. Effective diversity and inclusion initiatives should focus on three key areas: 1. Talent acquisition : Instead of relying on traditional recruitment methods that tend to perpetuate homogeneity, organizations should adopt inclusive hiring practices that actively seek out diverse talent pools. This may involve collaborating with community organizations, investing in employee referral programs, and reducing the reliance on educational pedigree as a primary hiring criterion. 2. Organizational culture : Creating an inclusive work environment requires more than just diversity training. It necessitates a fundamental shift in organizational culture, where diversity is celebrated, and employees from all backgrounds feel valued and empowered to contribute. This may involve implementing mentorship programs, fostering employee resource groups, and ensuring that leadership teams reflect the diversity of the organization. 3. Systemic change : To achieve true equity, organizations must be willing to confront and dismantle the systemic barriers that perpetuate discrimination. This may involve conducting comprehensive pay audits, implementing robust anti-bias policies, and advocating for broader social and legislative changes that promote equity and inclusion. By taking a holistic and sustained approach to diversity and inclusion, organizations can move beyond superficial metrics and create workplaces that truly reflect the rich diversity of the world around them. This not only benefits employees but also strengthens the organization's ability to innovate, problem-solve, and better serve its diverse customer base. The challenge of diversity and inclusion is a complex and persistent one, but with a renewed commitment to creating meaningful and lasting change, organizations can play a pivotal role in building a more just and equitable society. I see incredible potential in places most people don't think to look. As a Black woman and small business owner of a diversity staffing boutique and career coaching service, my team and I walk alongside our clients in creating genuine professional environments for ALL free from bias and discrimination. I believe in our interconnectedness as a human race and strive daily to use my gifts to empower the invisible and powerless. I rarely bet on certainty and always root for the underdog because those are the best stories to tell. Follow me on IG, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn @ HireBlackTalent.

Ask The Recruiter: When Should You Start Looking For Your Next Job Opportunity

By Angela Solomon • 24 Apr, 2024
As a recruiter, I field many questions throughout my workweek—about when is the right time to start looking for a new job. I think the answer is you should always know whats going on in your industry. You should always have a resume and a great elevator pitch because you never know when an opportunity may arise. It's essential to be proactive in your career development rather than waiting until you're unhappy in your current position or faced with unexpected job loss. By staying informed about industry trends and networking regularly, you can position yourself for success when making a move. Remember, it's better to be prepared and not need it than to need it and not be prepared. So here are questions you should be asking yourself: 1) Do I like my resume? 2) Am I satisfied with my pitch? 3) Can I join networks and groups that will advance my career? It's important to stay proactive in your career development by continuously educating yourself, networking, and staying up to date on industry trends. Doing so makes you better prepared to seize opportunities and navigate any potential setbacks. You can always be ready to showcase your skills and experience, as you never know when a potential employer may come knocking. In the fast-paced world of work, being prepared and proactive can make all the difference in advancing your career. I see incredible potential in places most people don't think to look. As a Black woman and small business owner of a diversity staffing boutique and career coaching service, my team and I walk alongside our clients in creating genuine professional environments for ALL. I believe in our interconnectedness as a human race and strive daily to use my gifts to empower the invisible and powerless. I rarely bet on certainty and always root for the underdog because those are the best stories to tell.
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