- DEI in 5
- Posts
- “DEI work requires more than good intentions,” State of the CDO Survey Report, and is DEI anti-white?...
“DEI work requires more than good intentions,” State of the CDO Survey Report, and is DEI anti-white?...
[DEI in 5] Biweekly DEI News
“DEI work requires more than good intentions and believing all people are equal. It is about understanding power and how it influences, informs and shapes the context. Think #DEI, Think Power ⚡️”
There was a really interesting discussion happening on IG the other day amongst a group of white women (I really wish I'd saved it 🤦🏾♀️). They were discussing how they just see themselves as the "default" and don't think of themselves as having power. Several chimed in and shared that while growing up, they were told that talking about identity, more specifically about race, was bad and/or they weren't allowed to talk about it.
But it ties beautifully into Jai Clarke-Binns's LinkedIn post quoted above (btw, check out Jai’s blog, A Load of Orgness—I’m a huge fan of their think pieces). In my work, I’ve come across many people who grew up being told that people are equal and should be treated as such (e.g., “I don’t see color!”). These individuals then carry that belief, along with their good intentions, into DEI work, and it just doesn't work. With DEI work comes vulnerability and exposure to many identities and lived experiences—good, bad, ugly, painful, etc.
I could go on, but my point is that we as individuals, especially those of us who are DEI champions, can't ignore that our broader society places hierarchy on identity. Social identities are a thing. Intersectionality is a thing. Power is a thing.
One last thought before we get into today’s DEI news updates: If the folks who raised you (and I’m using ‘you’ generally here) taught you that everyone is equal, and that you shouldn’t talk about identity, it's very likely that they themselves never bothered to acknowledge or reflect on their own identities and the social dynamics of power.
I went down a bit of a rabbit hole and discovered this interesting study: "A Chip Off the Old Block: Parents’ Subtle Ethnic Prejudice Predicts Children’s Implicit Prejudice." To quote the study:
“Results show that parents’ subtle prejudice predicts children’s implicit prejudice regardless of the parenting style. Findings indicate that children might acquire prejudice through the parents’ implicit cognition, automatic behavior, and educational actions.”
Interesting stuff, right?
The Latest Episode of DEI in 5
Speaking of power, identity, intersectionality, and all that good stuff…
On Thursday’s you can find me hosting live discussions on both LinkedIn and YouTube at 12 PM EST. This week, I’ll be joined by two of my fellow DEI consultants, Clarissa “Clo” Fuselier of Inclusion.Logic and Caren Young of The Professional Adult. We’ll be talking about unpacking our own biases, or -isms, as DEI practitioners. It’s going to be one of the more vulnerable conversations that I’ve had in awhile 🥹, but I’m looking forward to it. Join us live or bookmark the links above to catch the replay.
DEI News Updates
Research
State of the CDO Survey Report, August 2023 [NADOHE]: “Many CDOs are under-resourced and understaffed. Nearly a third of them
(32.2%) had annual operating budgets of $39,000 or less, and 44% of
CDOs had between zero and two full-time-equivalent employees who
report directly to them… Asked to compare their CDO role to their previous jobs, respondents were most likely to consider their job more or much more “stressful” than their previous position.”
DEI Industry
Greenhouse implemented a new DEI strategy to improve work for BIPOC employees and saw massive improvements in engagement and confidenceWorkplace & Labor [Fortune]: “Greenhouse created community groups for customer service managers, where real-life customer conflicts would be roleplayed by volunteers in monthly facilitated meetings, allowing attendees to work on problem-solving and assisting their colleagues…The company also implemented a five-step response process for leaders to get more involved when customer service problems spiraled out of control.”
Is DEI anti-white? [Forbes]: “Critics of DEI have claimed that it disadvantages white people. But when you break it down, does this assertion hold true? Affirmative Action, for example, was a policy created to prohibit discrimination in employment and college admissions processes, to ensure that everyone had an equal opportunity and access. Historically though, white people and more specifically, white women, have been the greatest beneficiaries of Affirmative Action programs.”
No, SCOTUS Did Not Make Your Company’s DEI Programs Illegal [HBR]: “The most effective approach to DEI is also the best for controlling legal risk: Focus your DEI program on interrupting the bias that’s constantly transmitted through basic business systems.”
Conservative Attacks on Diversity Efforts in Corporate America Keep Coming [Bloomberg]
BONUS: Check out episode 43 of DEI in 5 for more thoughts from Caren Young and I on the recent DEI-related lawsuits.👇🏾
Workplace & Employee Experience
US Job Openings Decline to 8.83 Million, Lowest Since Early 2021 [Bloomberg]
Indeed Is Offering $10,000 to Trans Workers Who Want to Relocate [Bloomberg]: I personally love to see initiatives like this, but I can't help but wonder: have any companies ever offered relocation stipends to Black employees who feel unsafe? Particularly those working in super rural and/or conservative areas, where they are one of few, if not the only, Black person/family in town? I'm not here for the oppression olympics (not at all—my thinking isn't 'this' or 'this', it's 'this' and 'this'—just so we're clear), but knowing that DEI efforts, including strategies for trans equity and inclusion, wouldn't exist without the civil rights' movement, I can't help but think about this. Join my discussion on LinkedIn and lmk what you think.
What Workplaces Misunderstand About Neurodiversity [Time]: “Before employers and workers can understand how to better support their neurodivergent employees and colleagues, we need to understand what neurodiversity really is… We are all neurodiverse.”
BONUS: Check out episode 40 of DEI in 5 featuring DEI Strategist & Systems Analyst, Dr. Sam Rae. We talked about neurodiversity & neurodivergence, her experience with being diagnosed with autism as an adult, and navigating mental health as an entrepreneur.👇🏾
Life & Society
Be wary of offering ‘help,’ and other ways to support families with disabilities [CNN]: “After more than a decade of parenting a child with severe cerebral palsy and other challenges, I’ve figured out how my friends can support me and what they should avoid… Here’s what to keep in mind, knowing that your friends might need something different than I did.”
The Climate Crisis and Colonialism Destroyed My Maui Home. Where We Must Go From Here [Time]: “…the first and most severely impacted by the climate crisis are often indigenous, Black, brown, and low-income communities. These groups have contributed the least to climate change, but have suffered the most, and must be prioritized in our transition to a better world.”
Health
Focus on these 5 areas in your work to advance health equity [American Medical Association]
U.S. Announces First Drugs Picked for Medicare Price Negotiations [NYT]: “The Biden administration on Tuesday unveiled a long-awaited list of the first 10 medicines that will be subject to price negotiations with Medicare, kicking off a landmark program to reduce drug spending that is being fought by the pharmaceutical industry in court.“
Art, Media, & Entertainment
The Noun Project’s New Pride Icon Collection [The Noun Project]
Beyoncé’s BeyGood Helped Ballroom Icons Put on First-Ever Equality Ball in Vegas [Hollywood Reporter]: “The Human Rights Campaign Equality Ball celebrates Black queer ballroom culture — as does the superstar's Renaissance Tour and album — at a time when hate-crime murders have dominated headlines in just the past two weeks.“ 👽✨ #UNIQUEEEE🌈🦄 🙌🏾
That’s all for today! I’ll be back on Tuesday with more.
Be well,
Adriele
P.S. Interested in promoting your business or event in the DEI in 5 newsletter? Reply back for more details!
First time here? 👋🏾 Welcome! This DEI in 5 newsletter is a seamless extension of my DEI in 5 YouTube podcast series. Here you’ll find biweekly updates (every Tuesday & Thursday) on all things related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, updates on the podcast, and some occasional commentary from me, Adriele. Feedback is always invited, just reply back and lmk what you think.