As one of our core Building Blocks for racially equitable work, the Race Matters Institute of MDC, Inc. includes “effective communication around race, racism, and the benefits accruing to all as a result of racially equitable work.” Here is some guidance around words and messaging for communications to advance racial equity.

Words Matter!

• Wherever possible, ask people their preference about what racial designation to use in a story related to them.  Otherwise, seek out literature that can suggest appropriate designations.
• Avoid racially charged, dehumanizing language (e.g., “invasion of newcomers”)
• Show where agency (and the responsibility for change) resides, using active voice (e.g., instead of “hundreds of people were disenfranchised,” say who did what to produce that result.)
• Avoid adjectives lodging problems in people themselves (e.g., instead of “vulnerable families” or “at-risk youth”, say “families vulnerable to ______,” “youth at risk of ______.”) (You may have heard this as the suggestion to use “people first” language.)
• Remain current with thinking around language preferences in the various specialty areas you cover.
• Carefully review job postings to reduce the likelihood that word choice does not turn applicants away.
• Be careful about using different characterizations of the same behaviors for people from different racial/ethnic groups.

Framing productive messages

• Go beyond framing racism in terms of interpersonal dynamics; focus on institutional policies and practices. Prioritize data that can tell the structural story. Choose people and circumstances to highlight that illustrate the structural story.
• Question the bootstraps narrative with user-friendly structural analysis.
• Document how advancing racial equity benefits people, organizations, communities, and/or the nation broadly. Avoid presenting steps toward racial equity as a zero-sum situation.
• Expand/diversify your sources for storyline ideas, commentary, and content.