Representation Matters

In 2020, White men represented 30% of the population but 62% of officeholders, dominating both chambers of Congress, 42 state legislatures and statewide roles across the nation. By contrast, women and people of color constituted 51% and 40% of the US population respectively, but just 31% and 13% of officeholders. ?Reflective Democracy Campaign

A pending Supreme Court decision could overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion. If the Supreme Court does overturn Roe v. Wade, about half the states would outlaw abortion immediately or quickly, and more could pass new laws further restricting abortion. Yet public support for legal abortion has remained relatively stable for nearly 50 years. According to a 2021 Pew research study , nearly six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. However, as we continue to see play out, majority opinions do not win elections or inform policies in the United States.?

If we want a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive society, we need a more representative democracy.? Governments have immense power when it comes to building a more equitable society, but governments can also be barriers to progress by keeping inequities in place and perpetuating biased and discriminatory laws. We only have to look to the headlines of the past few months to see a disturbing proliferation of proposed legislation focused on voter suppression, restricting how race, gender identity, and sexual orientation are taught in schools, discriminatory measures targeting LGBTQIA+ people, and now today’s headlines about an impending Supreme Court ruling on reproductive rights.?

I urge you to pay attention to and learn more about the issues at hand. If you don’t think these issues affect you, you haven’t dived deep enough in understanding how societal inequities and biased decision making holds all of us back. There is so much at stake when it comes to protecting important human rights and progressing toward a more equitable and inclusive society.??

Change requires action. As individuals, we can play a role in electing more diverse officials to speak for those who remain unheard when policies and legislation are being shaped, debated, and passed. Though state and local elections generate less attention than national elections, many decisions and policies are shaped at the local level; this is where inequity and biased decision making often take root. I encourage you to learn more about the local elections happening around you - who the candidates are and what issues are on the ballot. Real shifts are happening thanks to grassroots movements which are bringing more voices into democratic processes. Learn about these efforts and think about the ways you can leverage your power, influence, resources, and social capital to help speed their impact.??

Organizations also have an important role to play, and are increasingly expected to take a stand on important societal issues - especially when the stakes are high.? As leaders, we need to pay attention to how inequities show up in our workplaces and in the communities where we live and do business. We need to understand how our organization’s policies and practices may be contributing to inequities, and we need to step up and take action to address inequities when we find them in the systems and behaviors around us.??

Any kind of change is hard, but we all have a responsibility to do this work even when it's difficult and uncomfortable. As the fight for equity and inclusion gains even more momentum, I believe we’ll reach a critical mass when things will start to change exponentially. The wheels are already in motion.? If we continue to focus on unleashing the power of difference and building unity, I believe we’re in for amazing changes.

Here are some ways companies are supporting employees around reproductive rights in those states that have banned or are moving to ban abortion: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-03/how-u-s-companies-are-supporting-workers-on-abortion