CALEDON AUTHOR TACKLES DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ON RACISM

'RACISM: RISING ABOVE THE DISCOMFORT OF DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS' BY DENISE GRANT AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

When George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020, setting off an unprecedented rise in awareness of racial inequity, something snapped in Denise Grant.

"I couldn't take it anymore," the Black Caledon woman said, "No more."

Grant had been promoted at work and was in the position for 10 months before she was demoted.

She said it was a humiliating experience that really knocked her down. It also made her aware of the impact of systemic racism and how it shuts out minorities from achieving success.

The experience drove her to go to law school. Six years later, she is one exam away from getting her degree.

"I worked through the trauma and through the experience, I learned to be a champion for change," she said.

In her workplace, she sent letters to senior management about the lack of opportunities for minorities and has taken meetings with anyone that will listen.

"When these companies say they are inclusive, they mostly only mean it on paper. I share how to make more meaningful change," she said.

What she realized is how difficult the conversation can be on all sides — for the victims of systemic racism who can't articulate the trauma and for those who don't understand what it is.

It led her to write a book — which was published April 26.

In 'Racism: Rising Above the Discomfort of Difficult Conversations', Grant details 21 lessons she learned and applied to transform her own life from a victim of systemic racism to now a champion for change.

"One of the problems with racial discrimination is that it robs Blacks of their power. As a result, many become peoplepleasers, afraid to make mistakes, and create deeprooted fear of rejection," she said.

Piled on are pre-existing trauma from childhood

and lived experiences, she said.

She hopes it sparks people to learn and listen, and to not be afraid of having the conversation.

Along with writing her first book, Grant has started a coaching business to bring the discussion to executives, HR managers and others who want to work on change in their organization.

"Pointing your finger and blaming anyone at this stage is useless to healing and wholeness. Blacks can't change the trauma we have inherited from slavery. But we must learn from it and be a part of change, so history stops repeating itself," she said.

'Racism: Rising Above the Discomfort of Difficult Conversations' is available on Amazon or by visiting Grant's website at Rise Over Race.