Being available and equipped to discuss issues of identity and their impact with your mentee is essential to supporting your mentee’s well-being. Whether in one session (Attorney Connect) or in multiple sessions (Mentor Connect), if identities are shared or different, and regardless of whether the issues are personal to the mentee or observed happening to others at work, these topics may be hard to raise and discuss.  Mentors may need to open the door and must take responsibility for creating an environment for these conversations to happen. It may be uncomfortable, the path may twist and turn, and it will be important to center your mentee’s well-being.

Commit to continuous learning

Mentors must demonstrate a commitment to becoming culturally competent, keeping current, and adapting to societal changes regarding justice and equity as related to identity.  It is important to understand and appreciate that systemic and structural barriers have contributed to the marginalization of groups of people in the legal profession. The impact has been particularly strong on racial and cultural groups resulting in biases and stereotypes that may negatively impact your mentee by limiting exposure to growth opportunities or access to challenging work, or by affecting their mental and emotional well-being. The social conversation around these topics is challenging and changes with our collective understanding. Mentors should increase awareness of and appreciation of these changes. 

Create a comfortable space for open discussion

Mentees may hesitate to discuss issues of identity for a variety of reasons, including not knowing how you will respond.  Tell your mentee that you would like to support your mentee in all aspects of their professional life, including issues related to identity. Create and ensure a safe, non-judgmental space for your mentee to take risks and discuss sensitive topics that may make them feel vulnerable. This can often be done by acknowledging the risks associated with vulnerability or by modeling vulnerability, as appropriate to the context.

Employ a strengths-based approach

Be direct about identities you may share and acknowledge identities that may differ to increase psychological safety. Employ a strengths-based approach by discussing how an individual’s identity added a previously underdeveloped perspective, improved the outcome in a matter, or contributes to the community. Let mentees know that you and your mentee will learn and grow together. Reflect upon your own identities and share your personal experience to build trust without turning the focus to yourself.  Become an ally and an ally in power. 

Be honest, compassionate, and curious

Remember that some identities are visible, and others are not.  Best not to overstate your empathy, but rather demonstrate honesty, compassion, and active listening.  Ask open-ended questions and embrace new ideas and approaches.  Validate your mentee’s feelings and experience and recognize that your differences may create a gap in your understanding.  Let your mentee lead the way.  Explore, reflect, and seek to understand.  After validating their feelings and experience, you may be better positioned to guide your mentee in turning professional challenges into strengths and opportunities.

Keep trying

Open the door to conversations about identity throughout each mentorship.  If you didn’t handle a conversation with your mentee as well as you would have liked (maybe you felt uncomfortable, weren’t sure what to say, or instinctively shied away from a difficult subject), go back to your mentee and tell them you don’t think your response was optimal, and that you would like to try again. You don’t need to be perfect.  It is best to be real.