Systemic racism and oppression still exists in the US today. 150 years after slavery was abolished, and 50 years after the Civil Rights Act was passed, Black Americans continue to be victims of discrimination, violence, and unequal treatment.

Rockland Trust’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is steadfast. We are committed to actions that will lead to a better future. With this in mind, we have been working with one of our strategic learning and development partners, Judy Shen-Filerman, the CEO of Dreambridge Partners, to develop a dialogue program addressing systematic racism, unconscious bias and various other topics that will assist individuals to become better allies for our Black colleagues.  

This virtual series, which consists of five sessions, is open to all colleagues of the Bank. Each session is conducted live during the lunch hour and has two parts – 30 minute webinar followed by 30 minute open dialogue experiential discussions. Sessions will include the following:

• Understanding US System of Privilege, Power and Marginalization - This webinar helps allies understand the US culture and its history that has created a system of insiders/outsiders, power privilege and the exclusion of particular populations from access to power and opportunities (women, blacks, immigrants)
• Building Allies and Community –This webinar discusses the phases of allyship which starts with self-reflection and evolves to understanding of others’ experiences and needs so that allies can be effective and powerful in their communities
• Social Identity and Its Effects On Our Life and Work Experience - This session helps individuals reflect on defining moments in their lives and the role their social identity has played in the forming of their identity, their world view and hence, their life and work experiences
• Dialoguing and Listening – Essentials to Effective Allyship - This session helps individuals practice a core skill in allyship, which is to actively listen to the need of the other, suspending one’s own points of view, toward the capacity to truly help others
• Everyday Allyship - In this session, participants explore and brainstorm everyday actions that allies can take – socially and professionally at work, whether in the cafeteria, in meetings, presentations and other points of connection.

Our Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors will also be participating in a similar program, focusing more on managing strategic changes that must be made to help eradicate this issue.

At Rockland Trust, we understand that education and increased awareness are the first steps toward a better future, but real change is reflected in results through specific D&I goals and outcomes/measurements related to those goals year over year. Our Allyship program is currently ongoing and while the long term outcome is to be determined, we anticipate that these beginning steps will lead us to a better understanding of structural racism and how we as individuals and as an organization can create equality for people of color.