“I have heard an entire ethnic group being described as ‘dumb.’”

(IRC Staff Experience)

I currently work in a field facing role, but most of my peers are white. I have heard condescending comments made towards and about mostly black and brown country staff. I have heard an entire ethnic group being described as “dumb.” I have heard an entire ethnic group being mocked for how apparently hard their facial expressions are to read. I have witnessed a former senior expat [expatriot] country program staff actively describe their national colleagues as having less capacity than their white counterparts. This was stated numerous times in the hearing vicinity of said national staff. I have seen young white or white adjacent staff being elevated, given opportunities and considered “experts” on matters relating to countries they are not from.