Is the World of DEI Falling Apart?

The world of DEI seems to be crumbling before our eyes–? whether it’s DEI programs that have been banned in higher education (including the rejection of Affirmative Action), “woke” news that blows DEI initiatives out of proportion, or the new 2023 DEI report that shows corporate America hasn’t made as much progress as we had hoped for. What the fig do we do now? ??

In today's newsletter, I'll break down the recent DEI news and give my thoughts about the current space, including the dreaded term "woke" (as you may have read from my last article).

The Rise and Fall of Affirmative Action

At 14, I experienced my first real life, us and them. I grew up in public housing, and in my neighborhood, white people showed up for very specific reasons: they were the police or there to buy drugs. One sunny day in the hood, a group of white kids came through to buy drugs. It was just another day in the neighborhood: until the police showed up, and then it was a different story. It didn’t matter that they were in our neighborhood to buy. What mattered, according to the police, was that they were being sold to. They were the victims. I couldn’t wrap my head around how they were not equally wrong. Our neighborhood wasn’t conveniently located, and they weren't lost despite what you see on TV.?

Had I not had other influences in my life, including incredible teachers that pushed and challenged me to carve out my own space in the world and a family that never put limitations on my capabilities, that experience could've had a different impact on my life. It’s also not lost on me that situations like these are some of my strongest childhood memories and that I've chosen a field that addresses the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. Lived experiences are just that–experiences. They can affect our interactions and interpretations of situations. They can affect the way we view the world and how we believe the world views us. But lived experiences alone do not define us. However, if wisdom is applied, our experiences allow us to show up more effectively for others, show empathy and call out BS.

Diversity is about the presence and representation of multiple identities and backgrounds. It includes characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, etc.?

In short, diversity is a fact. We will encounter people of various backgrounds whether we want to or not. Diversity is a fact.

Equity ensures individuals are treated fairly by providing access, resources and opportunities to balance power. It isn’t about perfection–quite the opposite. It acknowledges that we all have different starting points and that historical and systemic discrimination is real and has (does) create disproportionate disadvantages (and, as result advantages). In short, treat people fairly based on their circumstances (unlike equality).?

Inclusion is creating an environment where people feel welcomed, respected and valued. It extends beyond diversity and equity, as inclusion represents a choice. You either choose to show up for someone and respect their differences, or you don’t. It acknowledges that diversity alone is insufficient if people do not feel respected, valued, and have growth opportunities.

Wokeness has changed with time. Today it’s about social and cultural awareness of systemic discrimination concerning marginalized groups, with race, gender, and sexuality being the primary categories. A woke person believes it is their responsibility to dismantle systems (and people) that perpetuate discrimination, oppression and injustice by advocating or serving as an activist for social justice.?Lastly, a woke person feels compelled to punish white (privileged) individuals.

Affirmative action is a proactive approach (doesn’t that sound nice) to dismantling discrimination within healthcare, education, employment, housing and government sectors. Its purpose is to create and enforce policies or actions to address ongoing inequities that prevent underrepresented groups from achieving success. Isn't it ironic that Juneteenth has become a federal holiday, and in basically the same breath, affirmative action was overturned?

There's a connection between DEI, affirmative action and wokeness, but they are not the same. You can tell the difference by the execution of each.

The Rise and Fall of CDOs (Chief Diversity Officers)

CDOs have been laid off left and right in the entertainment industry since the fall of Affirmative Action. But what does a CDO actually do, and more importantly, are they still needed? Read more here.

Why Your DEI Program is Failing (and How to fix it)

It’s no surprise to us that many companies are dropping DEI because their initiatives “aren’t working.” When DEI is treated like a quick fix, the results are exactly what they put in: the bare minimum. We’ve put together 3 common DEI Fails along with simple solutions here.

Speaking of DEI Programs...have you heard my thoughts about Accountability?

#?? The Numbers (featuring the new DDEI 2023 Report)?

• Organizations with above-average diversity are 2.4X more likely to outperform their peers financially. (DDI 2023)
• Beyond the financial benefits, organizations that develop more high-potential leaders from diverse backgrounds are also 11x more likely to have high-quality leaders overall and 4x more likely to have leaders who understand and act on changing customer needs and perspectives. (DDI 2023)
• Women are 1.5x more likely to leave their companies to advance their careers than men. (DDI 2023)

Need help with DEI? Contact one of our Consultants, [email protected], or 800-834-4946 to learn more about our services and how we can help achieve DEI success.