‘You are the problem’: AT&T tells white staff they are racist, asks them to confess their ‘white privilege’ and to promote Defund the Police as part of re-education program by CEO (((John Stankey)))

• AT&T provides its employees with access to a learning resource called Listen Understand Act
• The internal forum provided recommendations for books and articles to read and films to watch
• One senior employee told journalist Christopher Rufo that staff at AT&T were pressured to engage with the portal
• Managers, the source said, had participation with some of the recommended material included in their annual review 
• One of the recommended articles was from the Chicago Tribune, entitled: ‘White America, if you want to know who’s responsible for racism, look in the mirror’ 
• The portal recommends a ’21-Day Racial Equity Habit Challenge’, during which time participants are encouraged to interact with anti-racism activists and question their own actions

By Harriet Alexander | 29 October 2021

DAILY MAIL — White employees of AT&T have been told to read an article saying that they are racist, are told to confess to their ‘white privilege’ and acknowledge ‘systemic racism,’ and must engage with set texts or else they will be penalized in their performance reviews.

AT&T, in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder, introduced an internal program called Listen Understand Act.

John Stankey, the CEO of AT&T, wrote to the company’s 230,000 employees in an April 2021 email, obtained by journalist Christopher Rufo and published on his website.

Stankey, who took over as CEO in July 2020, urged his workers to make the most of the resources provided by AT&T’s anti-racism portal.

‘As individuals, we can make a difference by doing our part to advance racial equity and justice for all,’ he wrote.

‘If you are looking for tools to better educate and inform yourself on racial equality, resources are available at Listen. Understand. Act.

‘We also encourage you to actively participate in our recently launched Equality First learning experience, a new initiative to increase awareness and action around our value to Stand for Equality.’ […]