The New York and New Jersey Port Authority will introduce race-based initiatives to increase racial inclusivity in its workforce amid upticks in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
The Port Authority formed a leadership steering committee to support racial equality after the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody.
ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIMES HAVE RISEN 150% NATIONWIDE: STUDY
Michael Massiah, the agency’s chief diversity and inclusion officer who leads the committee, relayed the goals of the initiatives Wednesday, discussing the need to do more as the country faces upticks in anti-Asian American crimes.
“I’m in solidarity with the Asian community, both as someone who has children that are part Asian and someone who experiences and experienced these kinds of transgressions and atrocities,” said Massiah, who is black and whose wife is Afro-Asian.
Members of the committee spent eight months holding listening sessions with more than 2,400 employees who discussed ideas to help increase workplace harmony, according to NorthJersey.com.
One of the steps the Port Authority took includes racism awareness training for employees.
Other changes the agency will make include requiring body cameras on police officers, revising law enforcement’s use-of-force policies, improving the transparency behind human resources practices and functions, and hiring an employee experience adviser to help address workplace environment concerns.
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Using the input provided by the employee listening sessions was helpful to figure out how the agency can improve its approach to combating hate crimes and racism, Massiah said.
“This approach enabled our employees to share their honest and sometimes raw sentiments about the current affairs of the nation regarding race and to also share direct and constructive commentary about how our organization can improve,” Massiah said.
