Dan O'Donnell

Dan O'Donnell

Common Sense Central is edited by WISN's Dan O'Donnell. Dan provides unique conservative commentary and analysis of stories that the mainstream media...Full Bio

 

Workforce Development Secretary Sends Tips for Staffers to be Less Racist

By Dan O'Donnell

Amid a massive scandal over a failure to administer unemployment benefits during a joblessness crisis, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Secretary-Designee Caleb Frostman is instead focused on how racist his white employees are and how they can become less racist if they just read the articles and watch the videos that he, a white man, says they should watch.

He sent the following email to staffers this week:

Growing Together

Team DWD,

As we turn the calendar to a new month in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime public health crisis, directly deal with the highest unemployment since the Great Depression, and feel the indescribable grief shared by millions over the senseless killing of George Floyd and far too many persons of color before him, I wanted to check in.

I wanted to let our employees of color know that you are you are valued here, welcome here, and your humanity matters to Governor Evers, to me, and to the leadership of DWD. We have been working hard to make DWD a welcoming place for all, regardless of background, religion, race, or sexual orientation. Diversity makes our lives richer, our work environment and work quality better, and our perspectives broader.

I also wanted to let our white employees know that it's normal and healthy to continually grow, re-examine our views, and to be uncomfortable at points in that process. I've heard it said that "there's no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone," which I believe to be true, whether relating to physical fitness, professional progress, or growing more empathetic and understanding when it comes to acknowledging the deep roots and far-reaching impacts of systemic racism in America. I encourage all of us to keep asking ourselves hard questions and continuing to grow in understanding of ourselves and each other.

To that end, I have included a list of resources below to learn what we can do about it: How our country's ugly history of consistent racism permeates American life today, how to be an effective ally, and overtly anti-racist.

As DWD employees, we are fortunate to be working right now, doing some of the state's most meaningful work, and helping those who are most in need. Our work has far-reaching impacts, but it has been well documented that the COVID-19 health crisis and the resulting economic hardships have disproportionately affected communities of color.

As hard as things are right now, I’m confident that what's going to carry us and our state through this is the care we have for one another and those we serve. And one of the most effective ways to deepen that care is to deepen our understanding. As uncomfortable as it can be, we all have room to grow. Let's grow together.

Caleb Frostman, Secretary

Resources for parents to raise anti-racist children:

·Parenting Forward podcast episode ‘Five Pandemic Parenting Lessons with Cindy Wang Brandt’

·Fare of the Free Child podcast

  • Articles:

·PBS’s Teaching Your Child About Black History Month

  • The Conscious Kid: follow them on Instagram and consider signing up for their Patreon

Articles to read:

Videos to watch:

Podcasts to subscribe to:

Books to read:

Films and TV series to watch:

  • 13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
  • American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix
  • Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 — Available to rent
  • Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) — Available to rent
  • Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix
  • Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent
  • I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc) — Available to rent or on Kanopy
  • If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu
  • Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent
  • King In The Wilderness — HBO
  • See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) — Netflix
  • Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent
  • The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution — Available to rent
  • The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax
  • When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

Organizations to follow on social media:

More anti-racism resources to check out:

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