Recently, I have been having a lot of conversations about the best ways to track the success of organizational diversity, equity and inclusion. I am a strong believer that traditional approaches to measuring effectiveness based solely on diversity -- which tend to rely heavily on snapshots of representation by gender, race, LGBTQ2S+ identification, for example – are not sufficient. Instead, to be truly meaningful, I believe organizations need to also have insights into the experiences of diverse staff.
Here we are, just moments away from a new year -- and a new decade! As many of us do every year, it's time to consider what's next for us, reflect on our goals, and set resolutions. 2020 is here and the future is NOW! This year, I've decided to think about the future of DEI and set my goals accordingly. Ten years from now, what are the changes I hope we'll see in the field? How can I help move the dial forward? What is the story my clients will tell about their DEI journey? This list offers food for thought for organizations seeking to grow their DEI capacity and establish themselves as leaders.
Last summer, I was delighted to be a guest on The Small Nonprofit Podcast, hosted by Cindy Wagman at The Good Partnership. We had a great chat about the possibilities for diversity, equity and inclusion in the sector, and considerations for smaller organizations wanting to do this work.
Last week I came across an article that really stuck with me. Although it pertains to the education system, the questions it yields can be applied to organizations from all sectors. It’s actually quite a familiar story. Think H&M’s monkey shirt or Gucci’s blackface balaclava. It’s the issue of egregious displays of anti-Black racism by organizations that should have the resources to know better. I remember a time, not too long ago, when I felt I didn't belong.
If I want to be totally honest with myself, it wasn't for me to belong. I was helping support a youth-led initiative while sitting firmly outside the appropriate age range to be referred to as a youth. I was an ally. And though I felt excluded at the end of the day, what really hurt was the sense that the young people who worked so hard to build a community initiative to address community issues, were placed on the margins of their own community. |