We at Be the Change Career Consulting are not just about finding a job. We are about finding ways to live your life according to your values. It’s about knowing that societal change is difficult but not impossible. It’s about knowing that we can’t expect others to change if we haven’t done the difficult work ourselves.

This article by the Washington Post explores the aftermath of the Charlottesville violence and asks the question, “Why are people still racist?” It turns out that people have an innate tendency for “us vs. them” thinking and behaving.  We are pre-disposed to racism. The real question isn’t why are we racist, but how do we stop being racist? And the answer seems to be in learning the values we are taught by our society as well as exposure to other people different from ourselves.

This means that overcoming racism is an ongoing process with each child and each new generation. As members of society, we can be a part of teaching the wonders of diversity and multiculturalism. It also means that we as individuals have work to do with our own biases and beliefs. We can constantly be seeking opportunities to experience new cultures and new perspectives while breaking down our internal barriers to those we see as “others.” There are big and little things that we can do in the journey to end racism. When we feel overwhelmed by enormity of the situation, there is always a small step we can take to help solve the problem.

For me, understanding the roots of racism is important. I research, I analyze, and I share what I’ve learned. I do this naturally when I’m overcome by all that I’m witnessing. It’s not much, but it’s something. These are the small steps that I can take to be the change I want to see in the world.

We don’t have to change everything but we can usually change something.

What can you do, right now and today, that helps to build the world that you want to live in?