Systems Don’t Have Agency: Putting People First in 2021
By all accounts, 2020 was a watershed year for the term “systemic inequity.” It burst onto the scene amidst pandemic and protest, showing up in public conversations across a range of sectors. This is a very welcome development for those of us who have long been beating the drum for the messy, complex work that is systems change.
That includes our team at Global Health Corps, who’s been at it since 2009. More than ever before, we’ve witnessed and participated in exciting dialogue on how to accelerate progress in transforming systems. We’re incredibly energized by the possibilities. We’ve also noticed that as more and more people talk about systems, they tend to assign them humanlike qualities and capabilities.
If we really want to barrel through the opening for greater progress that this painful year has presented us, we have to remember that systems don’t have agency. Systems don’t create change. People, working through systems, create change. People alone can make decisions to change systems or build new ones to create more equity in the world.
In 2021, it’s time for everyone who wants to “build back better” to truly put people first.
What does this mean in practice?
In global health, putting people first means philanthropists lining up to invest in leaders who are most impacted by inequities and least often provided with platforms to speak up or opportunities to make decisions — young leaders, women leaders, African leaders, BIPOC leaders, LGTBQ+ leaders, and more. It’s funders going beyond checking the box for capacity building support. It’s actually listening to and trusting these leaders by giving up control. It’s more unrestricted grants and fewer burdensome reporting requirements.
Putting people first also means no more all-male, all-white, all-Western panels. It’s the usual suspects in global health leadership intentionally passing the mic. It’s event organizers going above-and-beyond to include BIPOC individuals and those from the Global South at conferences, clearing visa hurdles on their behalf and adopting hybrid virtual and in-person models. It’s supporting those with marginalized identities to host their own events where they set the agenda and issue the invites. It’s retiring the sector’s tired words and phrases that perpetuate harm.
And putting people first means organizations like ours — that is, those operating globally and trying to promote equity in the world around us — ensuring our own house is in order. It’s refusing to allow the work of our internal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) task force to become a victim of busyness (which is itself a characteristic of white supremacy culture). It’s each member of our team building out our cultural curriculum, deblurring our statements, and conducting micro-interventions to hold each other accountable. It’s using the budget we’ve allocated this fiscal year to hire a DEI trainer to develop a shared understanding and an action plan. It’s prioritizing time off and honest conversations.
It’s also putting people first means that I — as a white, educated, economically secure, American CEO who is also a woman, wife, and mom — must make reflection, vulnerability, and humility need-to-haves in my own leadership journey. It’s like laying down perfectionism, defensiveness, and a constant sense of urgency (again, all characteristics of white supremacy culture) to make space for inclusivity to blossom.
How about you? I invite you to join me in issuing a call-to-action — for yourself, for others, for your sector — to put people first in 2021.
Heather Anderson brings a deep understanding of systems change, a belief in the power of people, and a cross-sectoral approach to her role as CEO of Global Health Corps (GHC). She leads and manages a global team to drive GHC’s mission to mobilize a diverse community of effective health equity leaders.
This piece was originally published on AMPLIFY, a Global Health Corps publication.
Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.
