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"Ageism is the last acceptable -ism," Spotify trials 'ableist' lyric paywall, Federal child care funds end soon...

[DEI in 5] Biweekly DEI News

[Alt Text: Tweet from Pop Base reads: “Spotify has reportedly started requiring a premium subscription to view lyrics.” Images are attached to the tweet. One on the left shows the Spotify logo (a neon green circle with three curved black lines). On the left, there are screenshots of the paywall, one red and one grey. They both read: “Lyrics. Enjoy lyrics on Spotify Premium.” And a button below that text labeled “Explore Premium.” The tweet has been retweeted by user @leahajk which reads: “this is so ableist wtf.”]

Spotify recently began testing a lyrics paywall feature for free users. Previously, their often inaccurate and unreliable lyrics (😒) were available to all users. A number of folks expressed their dissatisfaction on Twitter, labeling the new paywall as 'ableist' and pointing out its inequity for those who are deaf or for users whose first language isn't the same as the language in the song.

Personally, I agree; it's undoubtedly an inequitable move. It's unfortunate that even after being in operation since 2006, Spotify still doesn't provide accurate lyrics, and in some cases, songs have no lyrics available at all. And now they want to put lyrics behind a paywall? Nah.

I also can't help but wonder about the diversity among the decision-makers and whether they consulted with a DEI professional was/is involved. Thoughts? Check out my corresponding post on LinkedIn and let me know what you think.

The Latest Episode of DEI in 5

In a time of online volatility and frequent flare-ups of in-person conflicts (often recorded and widely shared on the interwebs), the importance of nurturing meaningful conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace remains as crucial as ever. In the latest episode of DEI in 5 Caren Young and I discussed some of the challenges that arise from a society steeped in arguments and how these challenges have disrupted our own DEI efforts.

Leadersh*t: A Podcast Exploring the Social Responsibility of Leaders

Did you know that I also co-host a podcast with my good friend and change management leader, Caleb Gardner. Our show, Leadersh*t, is all about the social responsibility of business leaders—and how they can avoid stepping in it.

In our latest episode, we were joined by leadership coach, activist and attorney, Karen Walrond, whose new book, Radiant Rebellion: Reclaim Aging, Practice Joy, and Raise a Little Hell, is an investigation in how we can reclaim aging and live a light-filled life along the way. We discussed navigating ageism in the workplace, how marketing has damaged our ability to approach aging thoughtfully, and how to avoid bias against our future selves. Check it out, and if you’re into, don’t hesitate to subscribe, rate, and share the pod.

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The Latest DEI News

Education

  • Child care is about to get more expensive, as federal funds dry up [Washington Post]: On September 30, 2023 “an estimated 70,000 child-care programs — or about 1 in 3 — could close as a result of lost funding, causing 3.2 million children to lose care, according to a study by the Century Foundation, a liberal think tank. That translates to $10.6 billion in lost U.S. economic activity, researchers found, adding new strain to a nation already struggling with a profound lack of child care.”

DEI Industry & Strategy

  •  Incorporating DEI into Decision-Making [HBR]: Most people believe in promoting DEI in the workplace. But implicit and unconscious biases — not to mention the constant juggling of priorities required at work — can lead to inequitable decision-making. In this article, drawing on recent research, the authors suggest that this problem can be addressed by making DEI more immediately obvious, or salient, to managers immediately before they need to make consequential decisions about such matters as hiring, promotions, and performance evaluation. The authors discuss three particularly effective ways of doing so: 1.) Ask managers to hire for more than one job at a time; 2.) Ask managers to make diversity more salient in the promotion process.Business & Leadership; and 3.) Ask managers to view a short diversity training video right before formal people decisions.

Inclusive Leadership & Management

  • Elevate Your Emotional Intelligence Politics: The Secret Ingredient to Inclusive Management [ManageIn]: “Emotional Intelligence (EI) is one phrase thrown around without knowing what it means. However, it's not a trendy buzzword; it's the secret sauce that can set you apart as a solid manager and help your team bloom. Understanding emotional intelligence is the foundation of inclusive management, ensuring your team feels heard, valued, and motivated.”

  • (Podcast Episode) What Makes an “Authentic” Leader? [HBR On Leadership]: “How do you define authenticity, as a leader? If you associate authenticity with what feels comfortable, then you may be holding yourself back. Herminia Ibarra is a professor of organizational behavior at London Business School. She says that if you want to grow as a leader, you must have leave your comfort zone and try new behaviors. Eventually, she says, you’ll arrive at a more authentic version of yourself.”

  • UK investment trusts urged to improve diversity and governance [Financial Times]: “ Investment trusts have been warned they must improve the diversity and succession planning of their boards, as well as shareholder engagement, months after the chair of the UK’s biggest trust stood down after a row about her length of tenure.”

Workplace & Employee Wellbeing

  •  The American workplace's bias against age [Axios]: “One in four of America's workers is 55 or older. But age discrimination persists in offices, keeping many of those people out of jobs. Why it matters: Older workers are facing long periods of unemployment, stressful job hunts and mounting financial stress — and employers are missing out on an entire generation of life experience.”

  • ‘I’m Sick of Covering for My Co-workers Who Have Kids’ [The Cut]: “I like my job and this is not enough to make me leave. That said, I do want to make it clear to my manager that I don’t want to continue to have things pushed onto my plate simply because I don’t have kids. But it’s also tough to say, “Hey, I know you can’t get child care, but I have a kickball league that needs me.”

DEI Research

  • Black workers’ views and experiences in the U.S. labor force stand out in key ways [Pew Research Center]: “There are more than 21 million Black Americans in the U.S. labor force today. Their workforce experiences are varied but stand out from people of other races and ethnicities on several important measures: They are more likely to be employed in certain postal work, transit, health care and security fields; report experiencing more racial discrimination on the job; and place a higher value on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the workplace.”

Politics

Society & Life

  •  The Unexpected Past—and Present—of Gay Paris [Afar]: “In September 2022, I finally got off my couch, got on a plane, and checked into the as-fabulous-as-Sigourney-Weaver-made-it-seem Hôtel de Crillon, all bold slabs of marble and tall mirrors with impeccably mannered staff whose voices sound like champagne. But when I dipped my toes into modern queer culture in Paris, I learned that the famously tolerant city has multiple sides to it, and there’s tension between them, too.”

  • Tremaine Emory Exits Supreme, Calls Out "Systematic Racism" & "Lies" [High Snob Society]: “Emory, who officially joined Supreme back in 2022 shortly after VF Corp acquired the company for $2.1 billion, stated his reasons for leaving in a leaked letter of resignation first reported on by BoF. In it, he questioned Supreme senior management's “inability to communicate.”

  • How Video Vixens Changed the Beauty Standard [The Cut]: “The video girl, video model, or “video vixen” became the blueprint of ’90s and ’00s fashion and beauty trends. Fuller bodies, hourglass shapes, razor-thin brows, frosted shadow, and glossy lips defined their look. They were the girls who rappers rapped about and R&B singers danced in the rain for. One of the most recognizable faces is Melyssa Ford.”

That’s all for today! I’ll be back next week with more.

Be well,

Adriele

P.S. If you aren’t already subscribed to DEI in 5 on YouTube, what are you waiting for? 🙃

P.S.S It’s not lost on me that today’s newsletter came a day late. I have a lot going on (e.g., facilitating 3 workshops a week, podcasting, & juggling other projects) and won’t always delivery on time. I appreciate the grace ❤️