By: Shenise Foote, AFP Triangle Chapter, Co-Chair for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access (IDEA) Committee; Director of Development, Duke School
As fundraisers, we are front line staff that represent the organization in our communities. As Black fundraisers, we are hyper aware of this reality. We constantly feel policed and oftentimes it is by ourselves to ensure we fit the mold set before us. Is my hair too ethnic, is my voice pleasant enough, is my vernacular too much, am I too much? Do I appear to be a threat? These questions don’t begin to scratch the surface of the policing thoughts we have. But it also doesn’t begin to explore the macro-aggressions (because nothing is micro about racism, discrimination, or stereotyping) we experience for being our authentic selves. To cope, many Black professionals commonly code-switch in the workplace. Yes, even me – someone who is comfortable, confident, and expressive in her Blackness.
Courtney L. McCluney, Katrina Robotham, Serenity Lee, Richard Smith, and Myles Durkee wrote an article in the Harvest Business Review titled, The Costs of Code-Switching. They say that code-switching involves adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior, and expression in ways that will optimize the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment, quality service, and employment opportunities. I argue that code-switching is professionally necessary to sustain a role, and vital in advancing in a role/career. The experiences are not confined to in-person interactions. Instead, it also shows up in emails, virtual meetings, attire, and more. For fundraisers specifically, it rears itself during donor and board meetings, team meetings, events, and other settings not confined to the workplace or typical workday.
One may wonder why fundraisers feel the need to alter themselves to feel safe and effective in the workplace. Cause Effective, a non-profit consulting firm, conducted a study examining race, success, and fundraising. The study titled, Money, Power and Race: The Lived Experience of Fundraisers of Color explores experiences within organizations, the dynamic between donors and board members, and much more. I have highlighted a few accounts quoted in the study, that justify the need to seek psychological safety in the act of code-switching.
- “I’ve gone to fundraising events where people would talk to my (white) assistant as if they were the one in charge. I’ve also been labeled as not assertive enough by board members which is a common stereotype of Asian American women.”
- “My last organization had a board of almost entirely senior citizen, wealthy, conservative, white men. The amount of direct disregard I felt when speaking to them, I will never forget. And I never want to feel that way again.”
- “I feel there is a strong intersection between race/ethnicity and age. No matter how much talent and results you have, being a young POC professional, my experience has been that people assume I do not carry as much experience, insight and wisdom as I actually possess.”
- “Fundraising is hard enough, and I had to expend one and a half times as much energy as a white colleague to do an equal or better job.”
In 2019 Jonah Nigh, an accomplished fundraising leader, explored the health effects of racism and code-switching on fundraisers of color in the We are for Good podcast episode #515. He discusses the impacts of code-switching on mental health and wellness. “Racism is literally bad for your health,” he proclaims. “Managing how people see you versus how you really are is exhausting and in social science terms it’s called protective surveillance.” He also explores how this can cause higher rates of stress, hypertension, and lower satisfaction in work and life. These ideas were confirmed by Dr. Kia-Rai Prewitt, PhD, in the 2024 Cracking Code-Switching article with the Cleveland Clinic. She notes, while code-switching is a valuable skill, adapting to different circumstances isn’t easy. In fact, it can be detrimental to a person’s self-concept. “if you’re afraid that just being yourself would not be considered acceptable — then I think that code-switching can lead to feelings of low confidence.” She adds that being consistently concerned about social acceptance can also lead to anxiety. In fact, discrimination and/or recurrent microaggressions can even cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
While code-switching is a skill of survival, it has adverse effects that cause health concerns, higher rates of turnover, dissatisfaction, and tainted experiences. As fundraisers of color, it is important to take care of yourself. As allies and leaders in organizations it is important to identify and acknowledge behaviors that breed an environment of code-switching and eradicate those environments. For those looking for a more in depth look into the experiences of Fundraisers of Color, join us for our upcoming free virtual program, Trailblazers in Philanthropy: Insights from Fundraisers of Color on August 28 in honor of Black Philanthropy Month.
