Your DEIB Road Map Begins with You
When people ask me why I do diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) work, my answer is very personal.
When I was in college and came out to my family, I was disowned and cut off emotionally and financially. My mother wrote me a letter saying she would rather see me dead at her feet than be a lesbian. It’s still the most painful thing that ever happened to me. Many decades later, I love talking to leaders, teams, and educators about how we can give each other the gift of being seen, respected, and welcomed because I know what it’s like to feel invisible, disrespected, and unwelcome—even in the place I called home.
When we pretend differences don't exist, people can feel unseen and excluded. Acknowledging and celebrating differences is important, but it's not enough. It's crucial that we center and support the needs of marginalized team/community members in our DEIB efforts.
Here's what it takes to move beyond performative allyship and achieve authentic inclusion and impact:
YOUR “WHY” I shared my “why” above. What’s yours? Leaders don’t need firsthand experience of marginalization in order to make a positive difference, but we do need clarity about why the work matters to us and our organizations.
COURAGE We must be courageous enough to have the difficult, uncomfortable conversations about what it means to create communities that are more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just.
LISTENING Without an ongoing commitment to both listening to and empowering marginalized voices, leaders can cause harm to the very communities they claim to support.
ALIGNMENT Align on your values & vision, build buy-in for your DEI strategy, and assess your progress.
STRUCTURAL CHANGE "Commitments" must be backed by organizational action. Are you examining your policies and practices with an equity lens?
TRANSPARENCY Leadership must be open about what's working and what needs repairing/improving, building in accountability throughout the organization to ensure progress.
What are the priorities leaders should consider when developing their DEI road maps? What do you think gets in the way of effective DEI initiatives? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
