is also Black and Great by Rene Germain, and Twice as Hard by Opeyemi and Raphael Sofoluke (see Q&A, right).
The end of my
internship was clipped short by the pandemic, and while I was heartbroken there wasn’t enough room in my imprint for me to stay, I took it as a sign to chase my own literary aspi- rations. Of those who chose to stay on, however, the Creative Access survey states that “32% said they had found it diffi- cult to progress in the profession, with one likening it to ‘wading
through mud’ and another brand- ing it an ‘endless, fruitless slog’ that had leſt them on the verge of quiting many times”. A further 45% said that they “had not seen an improvement in diversit since they started working in publishing”. To hiring managers, the
evidence and advice is clear: there must be a proactive, authentic dedication to deconstructing workplace inequalit on every level, and change must come from the top. Challenging “normal” work environments and practices is the only way to ensure these statistics and retention rates are the exception and not the rule. The ultimate responsibilit of breaking through concrete ceil- ings resides not with publishing hopefuls once they get through the door, but with the publishing divisions that wish to house their successful future careers.
Theophina Gabriel is an award- winning poet and freelance writer and artist. She studied Philosophy and Theology at the University of Oxford and after graduating worked at MerkyBooks. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Onyx, a maga- zine championing Black creatives.
TheBookseller.com
Q&A
Rene Germain and Opeyemi Sofoluke on how firms can instigate real, lasting change
How have you observed structural racism playing out in the workplace? Sofoluke [Through] a lack of support when it comes to promo- tion and career advancement. Across the industry, we often see that Black professionals do not progress at the same rate as their white counterparts. The long-term impact of this is that fewer Black leaders are being promoted to some of the most senior positions in organisations, and so what we see is the constant underrepre- sentation of Black talent from the mid-management level and above. We often hear conversations on where to find Black talent, or why we don’t see more Black people in leadership roles. The point is: Black is talent out there, we exist, but are we being given the same opportunities to progress and advance as our peers?
What do you think about diversity workshops and unconscious bias training? Germain If I’m being honest, I see [both] as “Diversity Theatre”. The problem with these unconscious bias trainings and diversity work- shops is that: 1. They omit responsibility. This idea that the racism and discrimination Black and other underrepresented employees are subjected to is unconscious
is simply not true. Black employees are mostly subjected to discrimination from people who are consciously trying to cause harm.
2. They fail to address the systemic and structural racism that exists within our society. And therefore allow these biases to manifest in the work- place and other institutions. We can’t try and fix something without addressing the root cause. This will require a lot of uncomfortable conversations to be had regarding systemic racism, white privilege and more, but they are necessary. We’re at a point in time where we can’t afford to shy away from these topics any more.
3. They don’t work. Hundreds of studies have proved that such training doesn’t reduce bias, alter people’s behaviour or significantly change the workplace.
How can inequality be removed within publishing? Germain Invest: Invest in recruit- ing Black people into decision- making roles and Black people across all areas, from PR to design, marketing, sales, editing and more. Invest in Black authors who write about a diverse range of topics, not just limited to race because that’s what you “think” Black authors
should write about. Invest in providing access:
Programmes that provide insights into career paths into publish- ing for Black candidates and programmes to support budding Black authors. Invest in paying everyone fairly; we know from the #PublishingPaidMe hashtag the disparities between what Black and white authors are paid. Build relationships: I think
a lot of the inequality that Black people face in publishing comes from ignorance; those in decision-making positions not truly understanding or doing the work to understand Black writers and Black audiences. Building relationships with the relevant networks and communities, listen- ing and learning from them would massively help here. Be consistent: no one-off
workshop or training will fix the inequalities that Black people face in the industry. The types of books being acquired, how and where Black authors are being promoted, the lack of Black people in decision-making roles... these issues will need to be addressed in a variety of ways and over a period of time. Working consistently on this, and not just rushing out ill-prepared initiatives, is really the only way to achieve change.
Rene Germain’s Black and Great, an anthology addressing the unique challenges many Black people face in the workplace, will be published by Coronet in August. Opeyemi and Raphael Sofoluke’s Twice as Hard, a blueprint for navigating success, will be published by DK Life in June. To read more about these books, see the Book Preview on pages 42–53.
RAPHAEL AND OPEYEMI SOFOLUKE
RENE GERMAIN
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