Racial Grievance Policy
Alexander Hamilton Scholars is building an anti-racist culture of belonging, where people can show up being their true selves, and is working to model anti-racist practices in our institutional and personal behavior. The racial grievance policy is to support people of color to feel safe in the Alexander Hamilton Scholars community and to actively address and interrupt microaggressions, harassment, racial discrimination, and other racial misconduct. Our racial grievance policy is grounded in the lived experiences of people of color and our commitment to addressing and reducing racial grievances in our community. Alexander Hamilton Scholars’ culture is growing to be truly more representative, so people of color in our community have organizational support and feel safe.
This policy ensures that:
All perceived violations and complaints of racial discrimination and harassment are considered seriously and dealt with in a manner that is fair, urgent, and consistent.
People reporting racial grievances feel that their grievances are addressed and taken seriously.
People reporting racial grievances do not experience any retaliation or victimization.
This policy applies to all people who are a part of the Alexander Hamilton Scholars community, including but not limited to: staff, board, volunteers, donors, scholars, and nonprofit and corporate partners.
Alexander Hamilton Scholars defines racism as “a system of oppression maintained by institutions and cultural norms that exploit, control, and oppress People of Color groups in order to maintain a position of social and material supremacy and privilege for white people.” (Source: People’s Institute Northwest for Survival and Beyond). This policy is specifically intended to build a safe community for people of color.
Racist incidents include but are not limited to inappropriate racial comments, microaggressions, slurs, jokes, pictures, objects, threats, physical assaults, intimidation, institutionally or culturally racist policies, practices, and norms, unequal application of policies based on race, and unequal or biased treatment based on race. This includes behaviors, actions, or systems that are not intended to be racist but harm people of color, and intentional racial harassment or discrimination.
Examples:
A racial grievance is the reporting of a racist incident to Alexander Hamilton Scholars.
Microaggressions, defined as “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color” (Source: The People’s Institute Northwest).
Unwelcome comments and conduct with racial connotation(s) or subject matter that are demeaning to an ethnic group or people of a particular skin color or group
Offensive and vulgar jokes, name-calling, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, stereotyping based on a person’s skin color, ethnicity, or national origin, physical gestures or enactments, or displaying racist photographs or objects;
Unwelcome requests or demands for favorable treatment due to one’s skin color, ethnicity, or national origin;
Physical assaults or threats and intimidation
Denial or obstruction of access to programs or opportunities with Alexander Hamilton Scholars
Policies, practices, and norms that perpetuate institutional or cultural racism
Unequal application of policies
Any other racist misconduct that interferes with building culture of belonging at Alexander Hamilton Scholars, where people can show up as their true selves.
Reporting and Addressing Racist Incidents
To address a racist incident and report a racial grievance, Alexander Hamilton Scholars has the following policies:
If you DO feel safe and able, directly address the person committing the racist incident:
Address the person committing the incident directly — you can have another person with you when addressing the person directly
Name the behavior or activity and how it impacted you (or someone else, if you have their permission. If you are an observer, check-in with the person impacted first before confronting the behavior. See “If you are an observer of a racist incident below.)
Explain that their action or behavior is against Alexander Hamilton Scholars’ values and policies and give them a chance to correct their actions.
If that does not resolve the incident:
Bring your concern to an Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative as quickly as possible, using the contact information below.
The Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative will address the incident according to our investigation and grievance procedure listed below
Complete the racial grievance reporting form or report the incident to an Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative so Alexander Hamilton Scholars has record of the incident.
If you DO NOT feel safe or able, do not directly address the person committing the racist incident:
Bring your concern to an Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative as quickly as possible, using the contact information below or complete the racial grievance reporting form.
The Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative will address the grievance according to our investigation and grievance procedure listed below.
The Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative is responsible for recording the incident through the racial grievance reporting form and recording any action taken by Alexander Hamilton Scholars.
If you are the observer of a racist incident:
First, check in with the person experiencing the racist incident to see what support they need and what course of action would be most helpful to them.
From there, determine next steps for addressing or reporting the racial grievance (see above for more details).
If you see someone address a racist incident, offer them support and acknowledge their action to continue to build solidarity and community around interrupting racism.
Investigation and Grievance Procedure
Once an Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative is notified about a racial grievance and the person reporting requests follow up, they will first reach out to the person affected to hear their experience and decide on an appropriate course of action that best supports and protects the affected person.
The first action must be taken by the Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative within three (3) business days.
Next steps must include:
An Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative meeting one-on-one with the offender to share the feedback, reinforce our values, and determine a corrective action plan
Holding a mediation session or other conflict resolution with the affected person and the offender
Involving a third-party person trained in conflict resolution, specifically around racial grievances
Conducting a prompt, thorough, and fair investigation towards a resolution
Dismissing offender from Alexander Hamilton Scholars and/or Alexander Hamilton Scholars programs and events
Training or education for the offender or community at large
Updating Alexander Hamilton Scholars’ policies, norms, and practices to dismantle institutionalized and/or cultural racism at Alexander Hamilton Scholars
If needed, supporting the person impacted with going to the police or taking legal action
The Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative may reach out to other Alexander Hamilton Scholars representatives for support in addressing the racial grievance
If a racial grievance is reported anonymously, Alexander Hamilton Scholars representatives will determine the best course of action to address the grievance with the information provided. The Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative will record the grievance and any action taken on the racial grievance reporting form if the incident has not already been reported on the form.
If the incident is already reported on the form, the Alexander Hamilton Scholars representative will send the Executive Director (or the President of the Board, if the grievance involves the Executive Director) the Alexander Hamilton Scholars response and the result of the action. The Executive Director will record the response on the racial grievance reporting form response page.
Every Alexander Hamilton Scholars staff member and board member should see themselves as a representative of Alexander Hamilton Scholars if someone needs assistance in addressing a racial grievance.
The person wishing to report a racial grievance may also contact a person they feel most comfortable contacting, inside or outside of the organization, and ask them to report on their behalf.
Complete our racial grievance reporting form, anonymously or not anonymously.
Confidentiality, Access to Information, and Protection from Retaliation
All grievance reports will be treated as confidential to the extend possible when addressing the grievance
Grievances reported via the racial grievance reporting form will be shared with the Executive Director, and other people as reported to address the grievance
Records of racial grievances about staff will be placed in the offender’s personnel file. A record of the racial grievances report will not be placed in the personnel file of a staff member reporting an incident.
Threats, other forms of intimidation, and retaliation against a person reporting a racial grievance or any party involved in implementing the racial grievance policy are violations of the policy and may be grounds for disciplinary action
Acknowledgements and Sources
Our racial grievance policy and reporting form were compiled from Seattle Works, Dent Values, University of Cape Town Policy on Racism and Racial Harassment, Goshen College Policy and Procedures on Racial Misconduct, Racial Harassment & Discrimination, and The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond Northwest. Our policy is informed by our work with New Directions Consulting, Cultures Connecting, and HR and Equity, and current Alexander Hamilton Scholars staff and board members.
