Colorblind ideology may be well-intentioned and may even seem quite progressive. However, it is based on numerous fallacies and actually has a regressive impact on diversity, equity, and inclusion. If we choose not to "see" race, we assume that we live in a true meritocracy, and that institutional racism does not affect social inequality. Meanwhile, there is much research and evidence to support the contrary.
The trouble with taking a colorblind approach to managing public, private, or educational organizations is that people who don't "see" color will also not see discrimination. Simply put, we can't address what we can't see. "Colorblindness" can also be unintentionally racist. When people of color are over-represented in the criminal justice system, but underrepresented in institutions of higher education, in government positions, and in management positions in just about every work sector, colorblind ideology would thus assume that black and brown people are more likely to commit crimes and that they lack the hard work and determination to be successful enough to be represented in leadership positions and various fields relative to their population sizes - that assumption would be racist, wouldn't it?
Individuals may also believe that teaching children to be colorblind will lead to adults that do not have bias and who do not discriminate. But, in fact, children will encounter issues of race at school, in public spaces, and in the media from an early age. Without the exposure to appropriate conversations about race, children may actually have a more difficult time making sense of the conflicts they will experience and disparities they will witness.
Sims Squared can help private, public, and educational organizations engage in courageous and difficult conversations about race in a respectful and productive manner. There may be members of your work or school community who feel like their identities and experiences are invalidated in a space that does not acknowledge race and in which race cannot be discussed. We are beautifully diverse. There is no reason to ignore or avoid discussing that reality, unless we see racial diversity as something negative. Hint: racial diversity is not a negative, it's an asset to any organization or space.
Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims
Co-owner and Lead Consultant
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