Equity: Important Now More Than Ever

Last summer we were getting ready to launch our first communities of practice, and had several conversations that retrenchment was just around the corner for investments in equity-focused work. A lot of organizations added DEI staff after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. By early 2023, many of those organizations were already walking back some of those commitments, either eliminating positions or asking DEI leads to add other responsibilities like strategic planning, HR, and other business practices to their roles. 

I carry a lot of curiosity about whether organizations who committed to equity, actually knew what they were committing to in the first place. Equity is much more than a trendy term to use in communications, a banner to wave to show that one is responding to a crisis, or a current event. Rather, it is (or should be) a body of work that will strengthen organizations and our communities if we put the required investments of time and dollars in. There is nothing easy about this, and there is no single strategy that will ‘achieve’ equity. There are too many long held beliefs, barriers and roadblocks in the way. That said, it is also possible to make visible and lasting progress. 

A close friend, Diana Bianco, introduced me to a term almost 20 years ago – “to what end?” I can’t count the number of times that I say that out loud. If you don’t know what you’re after, how will you know if you ever get there? 

I read an article this week about several large companies who are reducing or eliminating their commitments to DEI, including companies whose products we use every day. My intention is not to call them out here; they are not alone in making decisions to remove references to equity. They are simply examples of why the work we do is so important – equity is more than a word. 

• “We’re going to lead with inclusion, because we need a world where inclusion is front and center. And that means inclusion for all, not some people. Everyone has a right to feel that they belong in the workplace and that they are included.”  They further stated “By putting inclusion first, we aim to address the existing flaws in DE&I programs, which have caused societal backlash and increased polarization,” then emphasizing its continued commitment to promoting equity within its “inclusion” strategy. (SHRM)
• “True systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020”, while in another spot they said “our commitments to DEI remain the same.” (Microsoft)

How can your commitments remain the same when you cannot say the word out loud? 

This is beyond disheartening or disappointing. I understand that companies don’t want anyone to be uncomfortable. Inequities are present every day – not just in the past, but perpetuated today and will continue into the future if we don’t name what needs to be changed. That’s why they need diverse leaders, who are tasked with leading those initiatives and deep systems change. But having a group of diverse leaders is a visual representation of hiring practices; having teams who are tasked with advancing equity is a whole other matter. It means that you value the work itself.  

Large companies have the power to change minds, and when they are faced with discomfort they should use that opportunity to educate, not backpedal; leaning into discomfort instead of stepping away. (Well, they could be using it as an opportunity for education if not for two things – they’re reducing their DEI staff, and the IRS tax laws make it illegal for a for-profit company to take any action that could reduce their market share or return to shareholders.) 

Equity is about everyone – and if there are people who feel left out, it is a lack of understanding about what an equitable approach can accomplish to better the lives of all community members. We have to know where we are headed (the ‘to what end’) and then we can lay out the steps we’ll take along the way. We cannot just begin taking steps and think they’ll get us to some  unstated goal. The word ‘equity’ is not the reason people are uncomfortable; the notion of change that will somehow leave them out or give them less is scary. So let’s address that. 

I’ll end with something my oldest said to me when he held his first job after graduate school. He was lamenting how much technology he had access to in his graduate program that was not accessible in the firm where he was working. As a young architect he didn’t have 3D printers or a device that he could take into the field as he was managing a project. “Mom, they only have desktops!” After he described the scenario I asked why that was and his response stayed with me, “the principals of my firm were taught by professors who were born at the turn of the last century.” I had to sit down and do the math to catch up. That is how structural racism stays in place – it is not about the long ago history (that some want to bury), all that history is sitting with the leaders we have today, including me.

If we want a future that embraces us all, we must be brave enough to build new structures, not continue to rebuild what made sense in the early 1900s. 

I’m glad to be with you on this journey and look forward to seeing you in August. Registration for the Partner Convening is open! 

Be well –