All Hands On Deck

Hi! Welcome to an update from Whiteboard’s Change Committee. We’re an internal team committed to activating on our Anti-Racism Plan. At the end of every quarter, we take a moment to reflect on our progress as a company. We review what we've done well and what we need to do better, and we think it’s important to do this work in the open. So—let’s review!

We’re a little late on the quarterly update, but what a whirlwind Q3 has been! Our annual staff summit was in August, several team members are on maternity leave, and so many projects were kicked off or went live.

All the being said, the Change Committee had a moment to regroup. We’re getting close to the end of 2022, and it’s time to start taking a hard look at the goals that need extra support.

The committee shifted gears to have all hands on deck focus on one goal to get it across the finish line — Goal 12! There’s more details below, but as a committee, we identified this goal as needing more support to move forward. Our collective effort produced a lot of progress, and we look forward to seeing how we can continue to adapt as a committee to strategically push our goals forward. Let’s get into it.

Goal 1: Achieve Racial Parity by end of 2023

As an ongoing goal, we’re making progress in our hiring practices, but we’re becoming aware that to fully achieve this goal by end of 2023, we’re not really on track. Our team is grappling with that reality. During Q4, we plan to address what we can still accomplish and what we can set in place after 2023 to continue pursuing racial parity.

Goal 2: Offer and require staff participation in at least one anti-racist education or training opportunity per year.

Goal 2 is underway and completed for this year! We hosted our workshop with ARCC for the second year in a row, and we had our secondary education this month. Bethaney Wilkinson, founder of the Diversity Gap, led the staff through a training around navigating identity-based conflict in the office and led us in conversations about race and the workplace.

Goal 4: Provide subsidized support to two Black or Latinx-led organizations per year.

Goal 4 is in progress! Whiteboard’s Identity Studio is leading a project with a Black-led organization that has been completed but has not launched to the public quite yet. We look forward to that going live in the future!

This goal speaks to having two organizations, but at this time in the year, we may only support one organization for this year.

Goal 5: Develop a protégé program.

Goal 5 has made progress! Our team has developed a plan and structure for Whiteboard’s leadership to follow. This year, our CEO, Taylor Jones, connected with an agency founder for the program. While that is wrapping up, we’re looking forward to next year’s partner.

As you may have noticed from previous updates, the goal is intentionally vague in our report. We do that in order to protect the privacy of the various people involved as the protégés.

Goal 7: Hold regular Whiteboard-wide team hangouts.

Goal 8: Hold quarterly lunch and learns.

Goals 7 & 8 continue to move along! We have had some wonderful presentations for lunch & learns and team hangs, but perhaps arguably the peak of the quarter was the staff summit in August! Our annual event was held in Atlanta this year and nearly all team members were present in person to connect, learn from each other, and listen to inspiring speakers. To conclude the day, the Whiteboard staff got to hang out at a Braves game!

Goal 9: Develop an industry directed initiative focused on advancing anti-racism within the digital design industry.

Goal 11: Launch virtual coffee listening tour with community leaders to assess needs and opportunities.

Goal 9 and Goal 11 both have not had much movement. We made great progress at the beginning of the year, but it has stalled a bit and could use some momentum and guidance from leadership team.

These two goals will be goals to revisit to understand what progress can be made for 2023 and what made us lack progress on both goals.

Goal 12: Launch one community impact project.

The team has made a ton of progress for this goal and we’re so excited! Whiteboard is partnering with a local Chattanooga school to bring an after-school program that teaches all about narrative, design, and web development. We’re stoked to be developing curriculum and recruiting volunteers from the team so that we’re set to launch in the new year. The team is really thrilled to have the opportunity to teach these skills to middle schoolers and create a program that can set kids up for success.

Goal 3: Provide pro bono support to Black or Latinx-led organizations.

Goal 6: Secure a person of color to serve as an informal advisor or mentor.

Goal 10: Include an anti-racism pledge in all Whiteboard branding and collateral by the end of 2020.

Goal 3, 6 and 10 have been completed. See previous blogs for more information.

As we get into Quarter 4, the team is wary of the looming new year. We’re rethinking and recalibrating to revitalize our goals and the team’s spirit. We look forward to dropping in with another update in January!