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In Search of an Ally: Alicia Baxter, Jam...

Prengler, Melanie,...

Case

In Search of an Ally: Alicia Baxter, James Johnson III, and the Death of George Floyd

Prengler, Melanie; Younge, Ayana; Kemp, Bianca

OB-1481 | Published January 31, 2025 | 3 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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Alicia Baxter, a Black, Jamaican-born associate at a top consulting firm in New York City, has just witnessed her mentor, James Johnson III, a Black American male, during a moment of vulnerability. Several days have passed since the murder of George Floyd by four police officers, and Johnson is visibly upset. Will he be a similar victim one day, he wonders? Baxter, however, is perplexed. Why has Johnson taken Floyd’s death personally? Why have protests broken out in cities across the country? And why wasn’t there similar outrage at the death of Stephen Dolceamore, a White man who also died at the hands of police only one month before? Baxter hurries to find the best way to respond, as it’s clear Johnson is looking for some form of support and understanding. This fictionalized caselet is part of the “In Search of an Ally” series, which invites students to consider how they might support colleagues who are members of a community that has recently suffered a megathreat—whether they, too, belong to the same community or can relate to the incident. These caselets also explore appropriate workplace behavior as it relates to relationship dynamics and boundaries, sensitive personal information, and job responsibilities. They are appropriate for courses on communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, relationship management, talent management, and other organizational behavior–related topics.