From Inspiration to Action: How Corporations Can Drive Diversity and Combat Injustice

Last week, within hours of Vice President Kamala Harris announcing her bid for the 2024 presidential race, Black women sprang into action, galvanizing nearly 45,000 supporters and raising over 1 million dollars for her campaign in a matter of hours. Under the leadership of @JotakaEaddy, the #WinWithBlackWomen movement has energized the nation, inspiring Black men, Latinos, and Asians alongside the LGBTQ+ community and many others to organize #Harris2024 fundraisers.

Recognizing our shared goals of freedom, liberty, and bodily autonomy for all Americans, White women didn't just follow the #WinWithBlackWomen playbook—they broke the all-time Zoom record for most participants to attend a Zoom, raising millions of dollars in the process. White Dudes for Harris and Disabled People for Kamala Harris have Zooms scheduled this week and will undoubtedly galvanize even greater support for Harris' campaign. While this diverse collective of voices rallying around our fundamental right to freedom has been truly inspiring, my message to the business community is to be more than inspired. Be action-oriented.

Balancing Hope and Heartache: Corporate Leadership in Times of Crisis

Last week, as many of us celebrated the potentially historic presidency of America’s first female Black and Asian president, we also mourned the murder of Sonya Massey, one of the latest victims of police violence. Massey’s murder was triggering and brought me instantly back to 2020 — the summer of America's racial reckoning. While many of us updated our social profiles with black squares, my role was to draft landing page copy for companies brave enough to say "Black Lives Matter" while I also navigated the trauma of seeing countless videos of Black violence at the hands of those whose very job was to protect and serve.??????

My message to executive leadership is that silence speaks volumes, while vocal advocacy has been proven to spark dynamic change! From the amicus brief that helped codify marriage equality in 2015 to the pending Equality Act, which has already garnered more than 500 business coalition signatures, corporations have always led the way.

Studies show that when organizations intentionally re-imagine corporate culture and power structures, teams become more diversified and generate higher profits. Plus, when employees feel valued and are empowered to live authentically, their increased engagement and commitment lead to better performance and customer satisfaction.?????

Aligning Core Company Values with Action & Equity

As we approach election day, no matter what political party you’re aligned with, remember the well-documented business case for inclusion. Recall your mission statement. And lean heavily into your core values. Last week, White women raised more than Black women and men combined and broke Zoom in the process. That said, ask yourself:?

·????? What are you doing to ensure pay equity?

·????? How are you empowering BIPOC employees?

·????? How are you ensuring every voice is represented at executive levels?

·????? How are you ensuring a fair and diverse talent recruitment process?

Yes, we are living in historic times, but being inspired simply isn’t enough. Authentic leaders are vocal advocates and impassioned proponents of concrete change. Last week, we were reminded that there is so much more that unites us than divides us. We were reminded that intersectionality has undeniable power. And we were reminded that the time for passive support is over. It's up to every leader to step up, take decisive action, and be the change we wish to see in our workplaces and beyond.

Systemic Change Starts with You

Learn about the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act today.?Discover how you can do more to ensure equity for every American!

Thank you @JotakaEaddy @winwithblkmen @KelleyRobinson Shenika "Nik" Harris, Esq. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America @shannonwatts Cassidy Huff @hashtagblacklinkedin, and to all those bold enough to be loud, proud, vocal advocates of systemic change.

#Harris2024 #DEIB #DiversityEquityInclusion #AnswertheCall #OneVoiceOneFight #PayEquity #CareerAdvancement #LGBTQ #BlackLinkedIn #Project2025