Voting with my feet: the importance of diversity

There a phrase called "voting with your feet." It refers to the practice of using your physical presence to indicate support (or lack thereof) for a given proposition. One might vote with their feet by leaving a workplace that doesn't support them (walking out). One might vote with their feet by supporting a company whose views or values align with their own.

I recently found myself in the position of needing new shoes. With a household including a very energetic dog, I walk at least 3 miles per day, every day.

That's roughly 100 miles per month of dog walks alone; the distance adds up quickly and even the best shoes wear out. With some walks encompassing rain or dew, I tend to keep a pair of regular shoes and a pair of waterproof shoes handy. The time had recently come to replace both.

Of course I considered appearance and comfort when I made my purchase decision. The shoes needed to be comfortable and needed to suit my purpose. But beyond that, I had the luxury of considering which brands to align with. Literally and proverbially, I wanted to vote with my feet, and support companies whose actions are worthy of support.

Without weighing too deeply into contemporary politics, I have continuously found that having a diverse workplace is a beneficial thing. My work is improved when it is evaluated and enhanced through viewpoints and experiences different than my own.

DEI has become a political hot potato in some circles at present (and critics of DEI are vocal and prominent). However, very few people speak in favor of the opposite of DEI (at least publicly). There aren't many people indicating that workplaces should be homogenous, inequitable or exclusive. Those are the antonyms of diverse, equitable and inclusive. It's hard for someone to say "we should have a workplace where everyone looks the same, comes from the same background and has the same experiences and socioeconomic status." A statement like that sounds vaguely (or not so vaguely) racist. It's easier to say that we should have a "meritocracy" and to position that as being the opposite of a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment.

There is nothing keeping a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment from also being a meritocracy. A company that values DEI can also value individual performance, achievement and contributions. A company that is diverse can also be high performing. It's disconcerting to have to verbalize this, but I'll put it clearly: DEI is not the enemy or opposite of merit.

All that said, I purchased two pairs of 耐克 shoes. If you're a shoe dog, they're both from the trail line (Zegama 2 and Pegasus Trail 5 GTX). They're insanely comfortable and were selected based on merit.

But they were also selected because among a group of high performing shoes, I as a consumer saw value in supporting a company that has continued espousing the virtues of a diverse workplace. While other companies have quietly (or loudly) canceled DEI initiatives, ended programs and refused to defend the importance of DEI, Nike has continued its investment. That is a brand decision that resonates with me, and which directly contributed to my purchases. I'm working hard to be conscious of all of my purchase and spending decisions, and will work to make sure that I'm supporting companies whose values I can feel proud to support. If you read this and want to learn more about Nike's approach to DEI, you can jump over to their page. As Nike would say:

To accomplish our mission of bringing inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world, we need the best and the brightest on our team. And we know the greatest ideas come from a variety of lived experiences, which is why we are committed to a workplace that is diverse, equitable and accessible. Where our teammates feel seen, heard and included. Where they belong and can become their very best selves. We’re working to ensure representation and opportunity exist at all levels of the organization and beyond, setting goals and measuring our progress to hold ourselves accountable.

That quote resonates with my experience, and motivated my decision to purchase Nikes.

If you read this and want to speak out against DEI, here's the challenge: tell me the benefits of a workplace that is homogenous (not diverse). Tell me the benefits of a company that acts in an inequitable fashion. Explain why consumers should support a company afraid to defend the need to be inclusive in its treatment of workers (or the public).

For me, I'm voting with my feet, and will continue doing so.