Adapting Your Message in the Face of Strong Headwinds

May 16, 2024

By: Scott Westcott

Next week marks the fourth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.

That horrific event sparked justifiable outrage — along with the overdue promise that our nation might finally come together to address the stark disparities faced by people of color.

That early promise has since faded, clouded by deepening divisions on how to move forward.

Two years ago, I had a conversation with the leader of a Southern foundation that foreshadowed the challenges many equity-focused organizations are now facing. During our conversation, she told me about how, while flipping through the channels on her car radio, she landed on a talk show in which the host was lambasting and belittling equity efforts. 

The moment served as an eye-opener for her – and a precursor for what has played out across the country as proactive racial equity work has faced a growing backlash fueled by political agendas. 

In the face of this backlash, many foundations, nonprofits, schools, and businesses are now reevaluating or scaling back equity-focused efforts — and wondering where to go from here.

For many, the path forward is foggy. It is also riddled with tensions that are hard to navigate.

On one hand is the persistent desire to stay the course and double down on bold equity messaging and programming. On the other is concern that the issue has become so politicized and polarizing that the risk of alienating segments of their audience and supporters to the detriment of the organization has become very real. 

As we advise our clients on navigating this challenge, it's important to make sure their commitment to advancing equity in their communities remains central to their messaging. At the same, we're helping them rethink how they talk about this work so it can be met with open minds instead of resistance.

Talking and Listening
Striking that balance isn’t easy.

But what we’ve learned is that the path to getting there relies on two simple (but at the same time challenging) actions: talking and listening. 

Our opinions and attitudes are often influenced by the people we spend time with and the information we consume. And today, most of us are not regularly exposed to differing perspectives. 

Living in these echo chambers only serves to cement our views and embolden our positions.

Yet through conversations we’ve had with many people with widely varying viewpoints, we know common ground still exists.

There are key values inherent in equity work that resonate across large swaths of the political spectrum.

For instance: the belief that everyone regardless of race, background or orientation deserves a fair shot at opportunity.

But this core belief is often obscured by the words and messages strategically placed around it.

As a result, many Americans have been conditioned to believe that equity is part of a zero-sum game in which advancing the cause comes at the expense of other issues that some view as equally important and worthy. 

Honest Conversations 
The pessimists among us can view this moment as an impasse.

We prefer to see it as an opportunity.

It's an opportunity to amplify approaches that unite us and reconsider those that spark division and resentment. 

It's an opportunity to re-engage one another in an honest conversation aimed at finding a way to move forward in ways that may represent a compromise in tactics, but not values. 

And it's an opportunity to find the language — and courage — to keep the conversation going in constructive ways. 

The shared horror to George Floyd’s murder told us something that should not be forgotten: Most Americans know racism still exists in our country, and based on the color of their skin, some people enjoy privilege while others are systematically treated unfairly and unjustly.

Our ongoing conversations on this issue with many different people tell us that most individuals recognize these persistent inequities. And most of us want to create an America where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. 

Finding the right words, approaches, and strategies that can reframe and reinvigorate progress toward a more just nation and equitable communities won’t be easy. 

It starts with pressure testing our messaging to make sure it’s meeting your audiences where they are. 

And if it’s no longer hitting the mark, we owe it to each other to refine and adjust — while making sure we hold true to what we believe.

It’s a difficult balance, to be sure.

But who said change is easy?

Facing challenges with your equity-focused messaging? Reach out and let's talk