As actuaries and other professionals in the property/casualty insurance industry start to better understand racism, many people genuinely want to help, but they don’t know how.

They also fear saying the wrong thing or being implicated, especially since—as we saw in the related article, “Actuary to Actuary: Understanding Racism In the Workplace“—you can be well meaning but still perform a racist act.

The International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA) wants to encourage you to not give up. Following is a list of solid steps you can take to be an ally to your Black colleagues and make a positive difference. It only requires you to be intentional, vulnerable and open to learning.

1. Acknowledge that racism exists. Acknowledging its existence is neither a personal attack nor a disregard for the challenges you have overcome to reach your level of success. It is about accepting that, due to structural systems embedded and normalized in society over generations, Black people continue to face several barriers that prevent them from attaining that same level of achievement even with the same level of effort. Reflecting on and accepting your unintentional role in this system is a necessary first step to address the issue. The next point suggests how to do this.

2. Educate yourself about racism. Doing research on your own first will accord you an informed base and thus more confidence in broaching the topic. Read a book centered on race. For instance:

• “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi
• “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism” by Robin DiAngelo
• “So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo
• “Racism without Racists: Colorblind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in the United States” by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva

Don’t have time to read a whole book? Watch TED talks online such as:

• “Let’s Talk About Race” by Jennifer Chernega, TEDxTrondheim
• “Let’s get to the root of racial injustice” by Megan Ming Francis, TEDxRainier
• “The danger of a single story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Another resource we use all the time is Google. Perform basic searches such as “racism in America,” “the history of racism” or even “racism today” and read further.

3. Make a conscious effort to be inclusive. Do not operate on presumptions about your colleagues. Instead, be friendly, open to connecting and get to know them.

• This can be as basic as scheduling a recurring lunch or intentionally talking to someone new you haven’t interacted with before even if you also converse with your usual circle. In conversations, look for things you have in common with the person you’re speaking with.

• Research an area of interest pertaining to them. For instance, if you know your teammate is originally from out of the country or from out of state, either ask them about or Google their home region. Where is it located? What is the capital? What are some favored dishes? What are some popular sports?

It takes minimal effort but creates a strong positive impression that aids in fostering feelings of belonging for them. Keep in mind that a lot of people who relocate move not because they dislike their home but because they are looking for different career opportunities.

4. Seek everyone’s opinions when collaborating. Even in time-sensitive situations, make every effort to hear from each team member. Be patient with bilingual colleagues who may take more time to express their opinions in English.

5. If you see something, say something. When you witness a potentially racist act, speak up. If a colleague makes an inappropriate joke, even absent a Black person, do not laugh it off to avoid confrontation or tell yourself you’ll address it if it happens again. A rebuke as casual as, “Oh man, that’s not appropriate. It doesn’t consider…” will aid in the confrontation.

Do not leave your Black team members to always be on their toes to keep people in check. If you find it tough to say something, imagine how much harder it is for your Black colleagues. Liken acts of racism to those of sexual harassment. The focus is not if the intent was bad but rather how it made the victim feel.

6. Request and support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in your company. A truly inclusive environment is the best defense against racism in the workplace. Everyone—minorities and non-minorities—has their unconscious biases and needs training to overcome them.

In addition to the to-do list, there are some things I suggest not doing:

• Do not talk to your Black colleagues only when race events feature in the news. This just serves to put them on the spot and makes it even more obvious to them that they are the visible minority, which can overwhelm your Black colleagues with expectations of having to talk about sensitive racial issues on behalf of the entire Black population.

• Do not assume that your Black colleagues want to discuss their racial experiences with you. In my earlier article, I mentioned the psychological toll racist experiences can have on the victim.

Sharing these sometimes traumatic experiences can therefore bring up delicate emotions that your colleagues may want to avoid—especially at work. Do not be offended if you are not one of the people they choose to confide in.

Do not ignore the topic of race just hoping it goes away. Ignoring company meetings or events centered on issues of diversity is a proclamation of your disinterest in the topic and is personally offensive to your minority colleagues. Realize that you are privileged to be able to choose to be interested in this topic, while others are forced to live with the negative realities of being Black on a daily basis.

As activist Angela Davis said, “In a racist society, it’s not enough to be non-racist; we must be anti-racist.”