White text on black backgrounds. Black squares down timelines. Email from CEOs. No matter how the statements are delivered, countless brands are taking stands against racism. Are these statements genuine or the result of public pressure? Finding words to respond to social injustice isn’t easy, but there are steps organizations can take.

– Check the surroundings

It’s not enough to check the pulse of what’s occurring. Take time to look around. What’s the composition of your staff? Who are your customers? Have you considered the real emotions they have or are you making decisions because the wave?

– Look at your actions before you SPREAD your words

There’s nothing worse than a statement without action. Or better yet, a statement that contradicts years of inaction.

– Say it!

When crafting a message, aside from editing grammar, paying attention to word choice is vital to ensuring that what we mean to convey is what the reader perceives. Perception is—as we know—reality.

Let’s be sensitive, honest and, more important, say something real.