1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: I'm Will Lucas and this is black Tech, Green Money. 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,239 Speaker 1: Johnvis Sam's founder and CEO at The Rainbow Disruption, where 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,039 Speaker 1: the mission is to partner with organizations to develop practical 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: solutions that champion DEI in the workplace and enables systemic 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: progress where authenticity, empathy, growth, mindset and transparency are celebrated. Previously, 6 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: he was Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Nike. 7 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: A large effort in DEI is to create equitable opportunities 8 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: and spaces where people from various backgrounds can have a voice. 9 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 2: These are achievable goals. 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: So if we're successful, then do DEI executives ultimately work 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: themselves out of jobs? 12 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 3: I think that the work equity and inclusion has actually 13 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 3: never done as we see as time goes on in 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,639 Speaker 3: different horizons change, different groups ultimately end up being at 15 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 3: the center of experiences of marginalization. Unfortunately, the raw reality 16 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,959 Speaker 3: of our work is that because so many different factors social, political, environmental, 17 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 3: economic tie into the way that we do our work, 18 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 3: there's always going to be a need for organizations to 19 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 3: understand how do we create equitable approaches and equitable outcomes 20 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 3: that serve people and teams I think the product inclusion 21 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 3: space is critical here will and if you take a 22 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 3: look at what new product development looks like within organizations, 23 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 3: every time a company drives innovation. To stand up a 24 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 3: new product, we have to consider it through the lens 25 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 3: of ensuring that it's accessible to all people. I'llbe at 26 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: disability status, language barriers, or otherwise. And so with some 27 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 3: of those different constraints in mind, the work of equity 28 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 3: practitioners to ensure great outcomes for all will forever be something. 29 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:42,919 Speaker 2: That we have to continue doing. 30 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: And to that point, you know, I've heard you talk 31 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: about before, specifically the around the time of George Floyd 32 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: and coming out of the pandemic, there was so much 33 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: focus on making sure black people got equity. 34 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: In the workplace. 35 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: And then there was this big uprising in you know, 36 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: Pacific Islander and Asians talking about they needed, you know, equity. 37 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: So how do corporations manage effectively so many people, you know, 38 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: chomping at their heel saying, hey, you got to pay 39 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: attention to us too when it changes so frequently. 40 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, for starters, organizations have got to not 41 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 3: look at this as a zero some game. Unfortunately, so 42 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 3: many organizations have positioned the nature of this work through 43 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 3: us versus them mentality. 44 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 4: The challenge is the US and them are often too. 45 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 3: Marginalized and minoritized communities ourselves, I recall the exact experience 46 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 3: you're describing will what We saw the rise and recognition 47 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 3: through a period of racial and social reckoning following the 48 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 3: murder of George Floyd May twenty twenty and then by 49 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 3: March of twenty twenty one, we started to see increasing 50 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 3: narratives and stories highlighting this notion of hashtag stop Asian 51 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 3: hate in numerous organizations. You saw this conflict begin to 52 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 3: be developed between how communities are interacting with one another, 53 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 3: where support systems are built versus non and you literally 54 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 3: saw organizations positioning a perspective that, well, we gave this 55 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 3: much money to black communities, and so we need to 56 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 3: think about how do we support API communities. The harsh reality, though, 57 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 3: is that the experiences of the communities are so different, 58 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 3: and when you position it as a zero sum game, 59 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 3: it assumes that there's only this amount of pie that's 60 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 3: available for us to fight over. Meanwhile, those that exist 61 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 3: in the space of the dominant discourse are enjoying all 62 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 3: of their nourishment and fruits and delight on this side. 63 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 3: For organizations to be successful here, the lens of equity 64 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 3: requires us to consider the specific needs of key organizations 65 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 3: and recognizing where our companies may have been complicit in 66 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 3: the marginalization of those communities. Take, for example, the sports 67 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 3: industry and certainly in the footwear industry. Arguably every streetwear, 68 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 3: lifestyle or performance space footwear brand has benefited off of 69 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 3: the contributions of black bodies, whether it's the act that 70 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 3: represent these organizations through a sports marketing lens, or the 71 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 3: consumers that patronize their businesses and organizations every single day 72 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 3: in physical platforms and digital These organizations then have an 73 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 3: obligation to think about how they support these communities that 74 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 3: are a part of the building and development of their 75 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,679 Speaker 3: bottom line. To do this effectively, though, we cannot see 76 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 3: the work of support of marginalized communities at odd to 77 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 3: one another, but rather recognize that to truly move towards 78 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 3: systemic solutions means gaining a stronger understanding of where we've 79 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 3: been and how we got here, how does this show 80 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 3: up in the present and its impact and implication on people, 81 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: and then what investments are we going to make as 82 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 3: an organization. 83 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 4: Since you're a betterment. 84 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: Of future, I want to go a level deeper there 85 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: because I've heard black women talk about this. You know, 86 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: black women's diversity and equity inside the workplace lags behind 87 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: Black people in the workplace. And I've heard black women 88 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: talk about when organizations and companies talk about well you 89 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: talk about women's issues, is black women get left out 90 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: and white women ultimately benefit from the efforts that black 91 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: women have raised their arms about. 92 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 2: What's your take on this? 93 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 4: You know? 94 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 3: Well, in addition to my work as the founder and 95 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 3: CEO of The Rainbow Disruption, I also teach in academic spaces. 96 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 3: So I am a professor of practice at Brown University, 97 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 3: and that I work as part of the Fully Employed 98 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 3: NBA program as well with the University of California, Berkeley. 99 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 3: And so a lot of my academic research and pursuits 100 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 3: center around the topics of intersectionality and identity covering. And 101 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 3: so the experience that you're describing is squarely in that 102 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,119 Speaker 3: space of intersectionality. Originally a theory coined in nineteen eighty 103 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 3: nine by Kimberly Crenshaw from UCLA. It argues that these 104 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 3: interconnected identities that we have impact either certain privileges that 105 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 3: we have in some cases or increasing marginalization in others. 106 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 3: This is the exact experience that we see with black 107 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 3: women in the workplace when organizations talk about women's issues, 108 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 3: when organizations talk about making investments in supportive women, they're 109 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 3: typically talking about experiences for white women. Rarely do they 110 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 3: consider the intersectional identity of the approach. You can see 111 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 3: this in the way affirmative action policies have been built up. 112 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 3: The biggest beneficiary of approaches to affirmative action have indep 113 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 3: been white women. On the flip side, when many of 114 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 3: these organizations, especially those in the technology industry, describe experiences 115 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 3: of people of color or underrepresented communities, they're typically talking 116 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 3: about black men or Asian men, and so black women 117 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 3: end up getting lost in where and how does this 118 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 3: work is positioned. And yet that means that we're not 119 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 3: able to effectively solve for some of the challenges that 120 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 3: become impediments to her ability to be successful in the workplace. 121 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 3: Take pay equity will We often talk about the gender 122 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 3: dynamic and the gender pay gap, and yet it was 123 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 3: not until recently that we actually started to dig into 124 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 3: convererces that found that globally around the world, if we 125 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 3: look at where white women are positioned relative to non 126 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 3: Hispanic identified white men, and then applied another layer to 127 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,119 Speaker 3: look at black women, black women sit at levels even 128 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 3: below her white female counterparts. Furthermore, in terms of development, 129 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 3: namely mentorship and sponsorship, she's often met with resistance in 130 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 3: so many ways around the ability to grow, advance, and 131 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 3: develop her career. And what's more, when you add on 132 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 3: macro political and macro social layers like those surrounding the 133 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 3: rhetoric and sentiment connected to the Crown Act, that's where 134 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 3: we begin to see the biggest implication on her experience, 135 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 3: where she has to make a concerted decision every single 136 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 3: day how to wear her hair to avoid being the 137 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 3: recipient of microaggressive behavior at best, an abject discontent and 138 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 3: disrespect on what the evolution of her career could actually 139 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 3: look like because of how she wears her hair, which, 140 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 3: as we know in the context of pair of politics, 141 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 3: has so many deep connections to our experiences and identity 142 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 3: as black culture. When we think about the intersection of 143 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 3: what it means to be both black and a woman, 144 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 3: she finds herself at this intersection of certain aspects of marginalization, 145 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 3: where she's fighting to keep up in so many ways 146 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 3: to not only the status quo of identity and experience, 147 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 3: but she finds herself competing with her white female counterparts 148 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 3: because we have been so preconditioned to believe that there 149 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 3: is only one seat for us that are available. I'll 150 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,199 Speaker 3: just add to this will This is why, even more 151 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 3: when I talk in my lectures and the work that 152 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 3: I do, I often say that to truly democratized diversity, 153 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 3: equity and inclusion, we have got to create equitable solutions 154 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,079 Speaker 3: for the most marginalized amongst us, and my work and 155 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 3: studies we've discovered that is black transgender women. To find 156 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 3: yourself at the intersection of not only trans or queer identities, 157 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 3: but female identities as well as being part of the 158 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 3: black community or black identities means access to things like 159 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 3: environmental protections from an environmental justice standpoint, health equity, and 160 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 3: the ability to not only seek care and treatment from 161 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 3: folks that understand your experiences, but also the ability to 162 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 3: find a job and not be subjected to under or 163 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 3: underemployment becomes the experiences of those The further you get 164 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 3: away from the center, as Bill Hooks describes it, and 165 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 3: the further you get closer to the margin. 166 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 1: You've talked about growing up, you know, giving speeches in 167 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: debate as being critical to your success. I want to 168 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: hear more about it. 169 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 3: You know, well, my family has a very long history 170 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 3: of the speech debate space. 171 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 4: My mom was a debater, my older brother was a debater, and. 172 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 3: So in high school, I didn't really feel like I 173 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 3: had a choice. It was just kind of what we 174 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 3: do in this outsold and it had the biggest impact 175 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 3: on my life and career. So I went on to 176 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 3: debate throughout my years in high schoo and went on 177 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 3: to be a national champion debater for Rice University, and 178 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 3: then went on to coach a number of schools at 179 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 3: both the high school and collegiate level, including coaching and. 180 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 4: A number of national champions. 181 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:15,239 Speaker 3: What speech and debate provides for people is the ability 182 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 3: to understand the mode and means of effective communication, both 183 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 3: verbal and written. It allows you to understand what self 184 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 3: expression of identity is, and it allows you to not 185 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 3: only find your voice, not only use your voice, but 186 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 3: leverage your voice as a means of having power and impact. 187 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 4: The beauty of it is well in the DEI space. 188 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 3: We often talk about this concept of giving us a 189 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,959 Speaker 3: seat at the table, and I've often challenged that because 190 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 3: this table could be broken, this table could be being 191 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 3: held up under the bottom by communities that we don't 192 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 3: even see down there, which is the case with many 193 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 3: fortune one thousand organizations, this table could be ratch. 194 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 4: I don't necessarily eat. 195 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 3: The seat at the table. I want the voice in 196 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 3: the conversation. I want you to understand my sentiments, I 197 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 3: want you to respect it, and I want to have 198 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 3: the ability for my sentiments and perspective to be built 199 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 3: into the way that this organization runs and thrives strategically 200 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 3: and operationally. Speech debate gave me those skills to understand 201 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 3: how to build an effective argument, how to build sound. 202 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 4: Logic, read and rationale, and how. 203 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 3: To combine those great theories that are so deeply rooted 204 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 3: in the idea of public speaking, to eat those logos 205 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 3: and paint those that being the ethical, emotional, and logical appeals. 206 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 3: To be able to forge connections for people, whether I'm 207 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 3: informing you about a topic, attempting to persuade you about something, 208 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 3: or just trying to make you laugh. This is why 209 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 3: I highly encourage, especially underrepresented communities. One of the biggest 210 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 3: issues that we face in both governmental spaces and nonprofit spaces, 211 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 3: academic institutions, as well as in our companies is feeling voiceless, 212 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 3: feeling that we don't have a way. Needs to be 213 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 3: a part of this conversation. It's why I encourage und 214 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 3: to represent it. High school, middle school, and college students 215 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 3: in role in public speaking courses join speech and debate 216 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 3: teams because the confidence that you build and the ability 217 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 3: to find your voice becomes something well that no one 218 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 3: can take away from you, and it becomes so highly 219 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 3: impactful in how we lead and thrive over time. 220 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: I've had this conversation with several people recently who built 221 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: companies or you know, whether they be small businesses or 222 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: tech companies, but in traditionally non melanated spaces, right and so, 223 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: and I ask, I'm always interested in how they manage 224 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: themselves in environments where they are not represented. 225 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 2: Particularly. 226 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: I was talking to Derek from Cloudy Donut about the Minnisota. 227 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 3: Too, y'all. 228 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: I was talking to him and all of his donut 229 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: shops are in white neighborhoods, and he was talking about 230 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: like how he doesn't assimilate. He is who he is 231 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: and completely who he is. He doesn't change his the 232 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: vocal tone of his voice, you know. And I'm so 233 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: interested in your take on this because I was reading 234 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: something where you said where I finally began to understand 235 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: the culture to which I wanted to be a part of. 236 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 1: I no longer had to think about this construct of assimilation. 237 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: I could be myself. And I think about this from 238 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: a perspective of there's got to be some wisdom behind 239 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:19,319 Speaker 1: that too, because and I want you to correct me 240 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: if I'm thinking about this wrongly, because I think about, yes, 241 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: you can be you, but you have you can't just 242 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: give sometimes you got to give doses until you've proven 243 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,719 Speaker 1: yourself in the room. And so can you talk about that? 244 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 3: You know, Well, if the question is that I always 245 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 3: look like this, no, I don't know. 246 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 4: Fortunate one thousand spaces with. 247 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 3: Rainbow locks and living by truth, you know, it was 248 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 3: a journey of authenticity, you know when I think about assimilation. 249 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 3: And I'm actually really thrilled to share with the viewers 250 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 3: of this podcast. It's actually the first time that I 251 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 3: talked about this publicly. I have just finished the manuscript 252 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 3: from my book Dei Credential, which will be coming out 253 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 3: this summer, and in DEI Credential, one of the pieces 254 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 3: that I describe is a definition for me around assimilation, 255 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:11,079 Speaker 3: and I posit that assimilation is a tool of the oppressor, 256 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 3: which is utilized as a means to destroy culture and character, 257 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 3: to degradate history and heritage, and to overcome the personal 258 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 3: to the personality. With assimilation, it forces us to think, 259 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 3: through gaslighting techniques, that who we are, that our experiences, 260 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 3: that the loves that we have in life are bad, 261 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 3: are harmful or negative, and that to truly be successful 262 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 3: and thrive in a deeply capitalistic environment, we have to 263 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 3: harness perspectives that shies away from what our actual cultural 264 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 3: heritage is and moves toward or in service of, everything 265 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 3: that the dominant discourse tells us it should be. Well, 266 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 3: I have rejected this almost every single day in my 267 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 3: professional career. It's hard, the dissonance that exists between trying 268 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 3: to show up as somebody else, to serve a group 269 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 3: of folks, just to get to that next promotion, just 270 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 3: to get that next raise. You end up working yourself 271 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 3: so much that the burnout both physically, mentally and emotionally 272 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 3: becomes so deeply pressured. In the book, I write about 273 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 3: this conversation of the emotional tax, also known as the 274 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 3: black tax. It's this construct of working twice as hard 275 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 3: to only get half the progress, or have to work. 276 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 3: Here's the challenge with that. When I was going into 277 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 3: workplaces very early in my career, I found myself giving 278 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 3: smaller doses than I should have. And so I found 279 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 3: myself in conversations that felt microaggressive, that felt incredibly disrespectful, 280 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 3: that felt racists, that felt homophobic in so many ways. 281 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 3: And I was working in big oil and gas and 282 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 3: telecommunications companies, And so when you're doing professional services or 283 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 3: client services work, you don't always feel comfortable speaking oud 284 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 3: about the behaviors of those clients, because those individuals are 285 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 3: ultimately helping the firm grow and helping the firm drive. 286 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 3: By the time I jumped into the technology industry, though, 287 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 3: will I changed my whole perspective on this. Now, let 288 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 3: me be clear, a lot of folks will will walk 289 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 3: around and tell you to be your authentic self and 290 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 3: bring your full self to work. My full self did 291 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 3: not belong in anybody's corporate space or anybody's corporate setting 292 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 3: me after five PM is real fun and probably does 293 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 3: not belong in the four wall and the corporate But 294 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 3: what I did find is that authenticity is defining those 295 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 3: values that are important to you and being unwilling to sacrifice, 296 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 3: shift or move away from those values at any and 297 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 3: all costs. And so that is what was important to me, 298 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 3: and so throughout my time at Nike, for example, you know, 299 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 3: I came into Nike in April twenty eighteen ball fade 300 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 3: part on the side, still trying to relive my early 301 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 3: nineties truth and by the time I departed the company 302 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 3: in no Vember twenty twenty two to launch my firm, 303 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 3: The Rainbow Disruption, you know, I was walking around navigating 304 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 3: the world with rainbow locks and dressing exactly how I 305 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 3: want it to because those experiences of growing up as 306 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 3: a black man in Houston, those experiences and surrounding myself 307 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,360 Speaker 3: in queer spaces and LGBTQ plus serving spaces, those are 308 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 3: all a part of who I am, and so they 309 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 3: have to be brought in spaces because they're a part 310 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 3: of that value set that I hold and that I support. 311 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 3: My message to the listeners on this will because I 312 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 3: get that what I'm saying is not easy. I'm not 313 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 3: saying that you go to your job tomorrow and you're like, 314 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,879 Speaker 3: I'm good here, Thomas show up take that that's not 315 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 3: the case. It is a journey. I recognize and understand that. 316 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,679 Speaker 3: But what I don't think enough of us do is 317 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 3: write down what those values are and then be unwilling 318 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 3: and unwavering in the lack of sacrificing those as you 319 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,439 Speaker 3: navigate work spaces, even if it may come at the 320 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 3: impact of your career. We are brilliant, we are great, 321 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 3: and so understand and leverage that they recognize that, even 322 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 3: if that's not a great thing here, there's a lot 323 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 3: of organizations that desire your talent. 324 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 2: There is DEI the role of death. 325 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,360 Speaker 1: I mean, let's be honest. Who people decide to work 326 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:29,640 Speaker 1: with can be very personal. 327 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 2: People like to do business with people they like. 328 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: But part of the work of diversity is to show 329 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: that people outside their bubbles and norms add value. 330 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 2: But there's still that human struggle. 331 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: Does the work of pushing require you to put yourself 332 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 1: on the line at every time? 333 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 2: Jarvis speaks on. 334 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 3: It, It is a really great question, will and I 335 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 3: think it depends on one the maturation of the organization 336 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 3: in terms of their readiness for great DEI programming and work. 337 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 3: And then two, it depends on both the resilience and 338 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 3: impact of the leader. I'll say this hand our heart 339 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 3: working for myself now owning my own firm and in 340 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 3: the work that my team does. With the Rainbow disruption, 341 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 3: I am no longer bridled or stifled by this duality 342 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 3: of having to force the uncomfortable conversation while also having 343 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 3: to worry about the political nature of my own career management, 344 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,199 Speaker 3: having to think about if I give this leader this 345 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 3: type of feedback which is necessary for them to grow 346 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 3: and develop and provide impact in the organization, is that 347 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 3: going to impact my performance review or my ability to 348 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 3: take on my next role in the company. It's just 349 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 3: not something I have to worry about anymore. And so 350 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 3: I can show up and authentically engage with the various 351 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 3: different clients, partners and organizations that I work with, because 352 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 3: that constraint's not fair, Like I'm not only y'all benefits play, 353 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 3: And so I can talk to you about what is 354 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 3: actually necessary in your organization. You know well over the 355 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 3: last three years diversity, equity and inclusion, and when it's 356 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 3: positioned to people, it's met with resistance by a lot 357 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 3: of communities. And the reason that happens is diversity, equity, 358 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 3: and inclusion, when done right, is literally a challenge to 359 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:15,719 Speaker 3: the status quo. It is a perspective that says, the 360 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 3: way that we have done things historically have not fostered 361 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 3: the outcomes to which we desire going forward, and so 362 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 3: how do we create points of intervention to challenge that systemically? 363 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 4: As you can. 364 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 3: Imagine, this causes a lot of fear to a lot 365 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 3: of people because if you have built your career and 366 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 3: your last three promotions have come via some connection to 367 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 3: systems of nepotism that. 368 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 4: Have allowed you to grow and develop, and now I'm 369 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:41,679 Speaker 4: saying we're actually going to change that. 370 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 3: We're gonna focus on inclusive hiring measures where we have 371 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 3: a diverse slate of talent. We're going to position diversity 372 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 3: in our interview panels, and by the way, we're going 373 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 3: to think about inclusive succession planning and how we develop, 374 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:58,120 Speaker 3: advance and promote talent. This causes fear with folks where 375 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 3: they end up resisting the future state approach. It's not 376 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 3: that they actually have a problem with understanding the contours 377 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 3: of diversity and what elements of identity is. There is 378 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 3: a fear that if you change the system so much 379 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 3: that I have been a beneficiary of, I now have 380 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 3: no clue what approaches to advancement and development might actually 381 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,479 Speaker 3: look like. And so well, I don't believe that it 382 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 3: has to be the role of death. Do I think 383 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 3: it's difficult. 384 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 4: Absolutely? 385 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 3: Do I think DEI leaders really have to focus on 386 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,480 Speaker 3: the protection of our own mental health and well being 387 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 3: and organizations need to prioritize resourcing to support us. Absolutely, 388 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 3: because the reality is George Floyd's murder was such a 389 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 3: big moment that organizations basically starting to position the chief Diversity, 390 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 3: Equity Inclusion officer and essentially a public affairs type role. 391 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 3: You got cdios right now having to be the voice 392 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 3: of response when there's an earthquake in Turkey, when there's 393 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 3: violence in the floor of war between Russia and the Ukraine, 394 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 3: when there's continued conflict between Israel and Palestign with literally 395 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 3: every shooting and experience of gun violence in this country, 396 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 3: the CDIO is now looked at as the voice of 397 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:15,400 Speaker 3: reason and rationality. 398 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 4: There that is such a shift. 399 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 3: In dynamic to where now this leader is playing a 400 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 3: role of government and public affairs without the accountability, responsibility, 401 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 3: or the authority to actually make. 402 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 4: GPA based decisions. 403 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 3: They are having to opine on global sustainability based topics 404 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 3: without being an expert in spaces of climate change. They 405 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 3: are having to navigate conversations about social and community impact 406 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,400 Speaker 3: without overseeing the multi million dollar budgets that are used 407 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 3: to be spent in these spaces. For organizations to be successful, 408 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 3: you have to understand the significant amount of work that's 409 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 3: being put on. These leaders exhibit the grace with understanding, No, 410 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 3: they will not create solutions in three years that resolves 411 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 3: something that you have built over the last fifty seventy 412 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 3: five and one hundred years in any of these companies. 413 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 3: And so we have to understand, how do we give 414 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 3: the same rigor and intentionality to social innovation with diversity, 415 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 3: equity and inclusion that we do with product innovation when 416 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:20,159 Speaker 3: we're developing that new app, piece of footwear or a 417 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 3: pail based product. 418 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: So how do you tie DEI efforts because they can't 419 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 1: just be tied to you know this the right thing 420 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: to do. How do you tie it to actual value 421 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: and business goals? 422 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, there's a few things I think on 423 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,479 Speaker 3: the ethical argument for diversity, though this right thing to do, 424 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 3: this so called moral imperative. I don't think we can 425 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 3: overlook that too much because a lot of organizations try 426 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 3: to move so clearly to the business case, and when 427 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 3: you do that, you lose sight of the fact that, like, 428 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 3: there's a whole bunch of sociological, anthropological and psychological impact 429 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 3: and implication that got us to where we are today. 430 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 3: I need you to understand how periods and a developments 431 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 3: impacted Jim Crow laws and policies which now impact how 432 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 3: black communities show up each and every day, and particularly 433 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 3: in the workplace. I need you to understand how the 434 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:16,159 Speaker 3: media is representation and reifying of certain stereotypes that impact 435 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 3: underrepresented communities all come from the history of our experience. 436 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 3: So we can't overlook that moral imperative because I argue, 437 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 3: will it is the right thing to do because we 438 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 3: are better. Not saying we are better as people than 439 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 3: another group. I'm saying as humanity, we are better than 440 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 3: the systems, tools, resources, and processes that we have chosen 441 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 3: to accept that continue to put some communities out of 442 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 3: the ability to equitably engage in society. We as humanity 443 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 3: are better than the tactics and strategies being deployed by 444 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 3: the current state of the criminal justice system. This is 445 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 3: a topic that we've known for years that continues to 446 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 3: have such far reaching impacts and implications not just on 447 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 3: black and brown bodies, but black families, black men, black women, 448 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 3: so on and so forth. We are better than that, 449 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 3: and so we have to resolve that. And so a 450 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 3: lot of companies then turn to the business case for diversity. 451 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 3: I will tell you well, I was very proud women 452 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:20,120 Speaker 3: get to your company release the studies around this work 453 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 3: in twenty fifteen, and corroborated it in twenty seventeen and 454 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 3: twenty eighteen, and then Deloitte BCG added some additional imminence 455 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 3: connected to it. However, the one critique that I've always 456 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,159 Speaker 3: positioned around the business case so called for diversity, Equity 457 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:37,400 Speaker 3: and Inclusion is that it considers this work in such 458 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 3: a deeply aggregated nature that it doesn't force organizations to 459 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 3: understand how their own history continues to contribute to the 460 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 3: negative impacts and implications of the work. The business case 461 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 3: in many ways would lead organizations to believe that if 462 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 3: you certainly hire or position black and brown bodies in 463 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,120 Speaker 3: certain roles, you're immediately going to see this thirty five 464 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,919 Speaker 3: percent greater life likelihood of financial outperformance. And that's not 465 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 3: the reality of the case. If your organization has not 466 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 3: done the work to shift your culture or the climate 467 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 3: within your organization, this talent that you've put in role 468 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 3: will not be set up for success. They will continue 469 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 3: to be pushing up against a cement ceiling that has 470 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 3: always been positioned against them. And then when you don't 471 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 3: achieve those great business results that have been highlighted by 472 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 3: the study, you can now not hold yourself accountable but 473 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 3: rather blame shift to put it on that individual. And 474 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 3: so will to answer your question directly, how then do 475 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 3: we tie this to business goals? Goal setting is absolutely critical. 476 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 3: Employees care about four main things in the workplace transparency, visibility, accountability, 477 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 3: and belonging. I am a huge fan of the idea 478 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 3: of consequential accountability. This is the idea that we as 479 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 3: an organization have set a goal or a target that 480 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 3: we want to achieve and there are consequences connected to it, 481 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,360 Speaker 3: not through the lens of blame, but through the lens 482 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 3: of accountability. So when we choose to tie executive compensation, 483 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:09,199 Speaker 3: for example, to growth and representation goals, or commitment to 484 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 3: DEE education or advancement to community and social impact policies. 485 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:19,199 Speaker 3: In addition to that, when we set these goals, it 486 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 3: needs to be specific enough in such a way that 487 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 3: even if we position growth opportunities for representation in particular 488 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 3: for growth of women and the growth of communities of color, 489 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 3: how are we digging into that concept of intersectionality to 490 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 3: make sure that our women numbers are not just growing 491 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 3: because of elevation and promotion of white women, and that 492 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 3: our people of color are underrepresented numbers aren't just growing 493 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 3: because of the hiring and development of new black or 494 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 3: Asian engineers. Rather, how do we understand both through pay equity, 495 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 3: through core experience, through education, development and community that we're 496 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 3: solving for those intersections of identity along the way, that 497 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 3: we're providing experience and pull surveys to understand that impact, 498 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 3: and that DEI has a place not just on the 499 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 3: team and talent strategy for an HR or people in 500 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 3: culture organization, but that it is positioned right on that 501 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 3: corporate strategy for the organization. That's how you drive results. 502 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 3: Will if every strategy coming out of DEI can tie 503 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 3: back in some way to the core goals that the 504 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 3: business is looking to drive from a strategy and operations perspective. 505 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 3: That's where impact is created. And that is why I 506 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 3: often highlight and lecture and serience that I do. I'm 507 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,679 Speaker 3: a business leader. It just happens to be that my 508 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 3: field of practice is helping organizations realize their fullest social 509 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 3: and economic potential through the lens and advocacy of DEI. 510 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: You know one thing we haven't discussed here that I've 511 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 1: got you for a few more minutes, and I want 512 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: to talk about this concept of supplier diversity, right, Yeah, 513 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: So one thing many companies lean on as an excuse is, 514 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: you know, black owned companies don't have the capacity, particularly corporations. 515 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: You know, larger small businesses lean on that. 516 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 4: Yep and yep. 517 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: How can they instead help smaller companies black owned companies 518 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 1: build capacity versus count them out. 519 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 3: It is so necessary, you know, the supplier diversity space. 520 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 3: It has been around a really long time. In fact, 521 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 3: work around supplier diversity has been around longer than a 522 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,959 Speaker 3: lot of the core team and talent strategies that we know, 523 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 3: like the Rooney ruler, the diverse later proch on the 524 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 3: team and talent side, and so there's a number of learnings, 525 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 3: especially from folks who I would consider absolute mavin's in 526 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 3: the space, like McDonald's, like University of Chicago, who continue 527 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 3: to do such a basing, industry leading work in this space. 528 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 3: But you're right, will so many companies argue, well, in 529 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 3: a competitive process of an R ANDP, we're just not 530 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 3: finding enough black owned businesses that can support this work, 531 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 3: and so you end up giving us the small contracts 532 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 3: for things like minimal food service, occasionally bringing us in 533 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 3: to do some content creation and marketing or videography work, 534 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 3: where the big tracks are going to major technology suppliers, 535 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 3: major marketing suppliers. For organizations to be successful, they have 536 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 3: to move beyond the programmatic and truly go to the systemic. 537 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 3: The programmatic is to say we're going to go out 538 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 3: and create this list of underrepresented suppliers and hopefully they 539 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 3: lay in we're going to try to position these black 540 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 3: small businesses into these smaller areas within our company or organization. Rather, 541 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 3: we should be finding ways to help them grow to 542 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 3: scale and through the lens of sustainability, help them understand 543 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 3: what results in a successful RP within your organization. Help 544 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 3: them by positioning some of the smaller entities within your 545 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 3: company or organization to be successful. For example, if we 546 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 3: think about the footwear industry, while a vendor may not 547 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 3: yet be perfect for ninet eight, could they do work 548 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 3: to support the converse brand to understand the infrastructure around 549 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 3: the organization, but build from there. While an organization may 550 00:30:55,480 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 3: not be fully equipped, for example, to support a large retailer, 551 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 3: could they work on one aspect of the merchandising space. 552 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 3: That way, they're knee deep in the ecosystem and growing 553 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 3: and developing. And then, what's more, how are companies actually 554 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 3: investing money into ensuring that these businesses can grow by 555 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 3: providing the core skills on how to effectively run a business. 556 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 3: When you think about some of the major I'll even 557 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 3: say Fortune one hundred companies, will they have some of 558 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 3: the best communications teams, operations teams, supply chain teams, merchandising teams. 559 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 4: What would it look like to have. 560 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 3: Those leaders and their teams extend pro bono support and 561 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 3: engagement with these organizations to ensure that their business model 562 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 3: is air tight so that when they come to you 563 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 3: a year from then with an RFP, they're not only 564 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 3: competitive in the process, but we know how they grow 565 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 3: at a scale. If your organization is focused on the 566 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 3: impact that you're having in terms of carbon reduction, for example, 567 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,680 Speaker 3: to drive towards the climate change goals, make sure that 568 00:31:56,760 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 3: you're equipping these folks with the knowledge upfront, but they're 569 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 3: aligning their own approach to global sustainability with that that 570 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 3: you have as an organization. And finally, we'll align to 571 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 3: the same previous question that you asked around goal setting. 572 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 3: We have got to set targets around supplier diversity, but 573 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 3: I want to see disaggregated targets because a lot of 574 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 3: companies will set one billion dollar targets, five billion dollar 575 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 3: targets over the. 576 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 4: Course of a couple of years. 577 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 3: If you dig into it, the majority of those funds 578 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 3: are going to term women owned businesses, which is absolutely incredible. 579 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 3: We do need to be investing even more significantly in 580 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 3: women owned businesses and in veteran owned businesses and in 581 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 3: underrepresented owned businesses. However, if we're not considering if ninety 582 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 3: percent of those women owned businesses are owned by white women, 583 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 3: and that none of the funding is being distributed or 584 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 3: allocated to support Black women, Latino women, Native women, are 585 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 3: First Nations women, or API women. 586 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 4: We have not done our job effectively. 587 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 3: We're giving ourselves a pattern the back for what is 588 00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 3: arguably a participation trophy to make us feel good or 589 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 3: better about what we're doing. It's often argued that disaggregation 590 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 3: of data helps us to make more intentional and deliberate 591 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 3: and accurate decision making. And so I implore organizations disaggregate it, 592 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 3: hold yourselves accountable, and enable your consumers, vendors, and stakeholders 593 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 3: to be a part of that journey with you. 594 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 1: In the matter of respecting DEI expertise, Right, So, if 595 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 1: I'm a business and I'm looking for a DEI person, 596 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:30,720 Speaker 1: how do I know that this person can actually do 597 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:31,760 Speaker 1: the job effectively? 598 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 2: One? 599 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: And how can I be a respected DEI leader? 600 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think on the first front, well, this is 601 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 3: so topical, you know. Following George Fwitz Murder, I saw 602 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:47,200 Speaker 3: a lot of organizations either go out to the marketplace 603 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 3: to find DEI leaders, and I found others elevate leaders 604 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 3: within their organization, some elevated leaders that had a great 605 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 3: experience in the space or at least knew some effort 606 00:33:58,160 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 3: around how. 607 00:33:58,560 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 4: To drive great progress in the world. 608 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 3: Brothers elevated leaders who simply had a passion for it. 609 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:08,120 Speaker 3: It is unfair to those leaders, you know, when I 610 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 3: think about other functions within an organization, As I said, 611 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:15,480 Speaker 3: to drive DEI effectively, we must think about it in 612 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:18,840 Speaker 3: connection to our business strategy and business operations. In no 613 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 3: other function would we ever take a leader and just 614 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:25,920 Speaker 3: position them in a role based off an element of 615 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:31,280 Speaker 3: identity and passion. Will I actually really like product development? 616 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 3: I almost failed out of art class in eighth grade. 617 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,840 Speaker 3: I can't draw, and so my passion for design and 618 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:41,719 Speaker 3: product development does. 619 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 4: Not mean that I could go and become a chief 620 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 4: design officer at a Fortune five hundred company. 621 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 3: And so the fact that we have taken, in some 622 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:52,720 Speaker 3: cases it's very lackadaisical approach around just placing a talent 623 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 3: and role. It's unfair to the organization. It's unfair to 624 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 3: all equity serving communities that are part of that engagement 625 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 3: with the organization. And it's unfair of that person because 626 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,040 Speaker 3: when they step into the role and they are unable 627 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:09,800 Speaker 3: to be successful because they've never driven approaches that actually 628 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 3: foster systemic change. In this arena, we still point the 629 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 3: finger at them, because the accountability exists within them. All 630 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 3: the other leaders will have absolved themselves of their own 631 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 3: accountability and how they drive progress in this space, and 632 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 3: so that leader is ultimately unsuccessful. And so for businesses, 633 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 3: I highly encourage them think about what engagement in partnerships, 634 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 3: for example, what firms like mine might look like. And 635 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 3: with the rainbow disruption, we can help that great DEI 636 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 3: leaders for and with you, as well as help to 637 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,399 Speaker 3: establish the infrastructure that's necessary as you build your own 638 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 3: strategy and operating model around engagement. 639 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:46,120 Speaker 4: In this space. 640 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:48,600 Speaker 3: The whole goal is we need to be doing this 641 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 3: work to drive longer term sustainability and to ensure that 642 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:57,160 Speaker 3: we're creating measurable and monitorable frameworks to do the work 643 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 3: even more effectively. And so organizations we have to make 644 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 3: sure that they are prioritizing both experience and knowledge in 645 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 3: the space even more than passion and lived experience is critical. 646 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 3: Though I see a lot of organizations promoting and elevating 647 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:15,840 Speaker 3: folks who do not speak from the community or do 648 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 3: not speak from the eye of experience, and that's tough. 649 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 3: It does not mean that these folks cannot as allies 650 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 3: advocate or act as activists. 651 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 4: For the communities that are there. 652 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,360 Speaker 3: But unfortunately, the black experience is one that is so 653 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:34,480 Speaker 3: unique in the United States and in various spaces. 654 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:35,360 Speaker 4: There's various parts. 655 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:38,640 Speaker 3: Of Western Europe, certainly South Africa, and so we need 656 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:42,359 Speaker 3: folks in these roles that can actually speak to those experiences, 657 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:44,920 Speaker 3: that understand what it means to be at the margin 658 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:49,200 Speaker 3: of experiences of racial minoritized status to be able to 659 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 3: actually impact change on the flip side for DEI leaders, 660 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 3: will I get the question a lot in my LinkedIn inbox, 661 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,240 Speaker 3: and when I do lectures at university of a number 662 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 3: of college students who are like I want to go 663 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 3: into the DEI space. And I think part of it 664 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 3: is rooted in gen Z and jen ALPA's strong knowledge 665 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:13,160 Speaker 3: connection and commitment to overcoming systems of oppression and resolving 666 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:17,400 Speaker 3: things like institutional and structural racism. And yet in most 667 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:20,839 Speaker 3: cases I tell them, don't do it immediately out of college. 668 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 3: I think there is something so critical about getting experiences 669 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 3: outside of this space, whether it's in HR directly, in 670 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 3: marketing and product roles, in finance and sales, there is 671 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:37,960 Speaker 3: something so critical about learning foundations and fundamentals of how 672 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,240 Speaker 3: businesses run and operate, so that when you do step 673 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:44,839 Speaker 3: into the DEI role, you can be effective and you 674 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:47,520 Speaker 3: can't drive great work in progress. Now I get it well, 675 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 3: that may sound a bit counterproductive or counterintuitive to exactly 676 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 3: what I just argue this idea that you need to 677 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:59,239 Speaker 3: be hiring experienced professionals. My recommendation is entered organization and 678 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 3: do a role in a different function for two to 679 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:05,759 Speaker 3: three years, and then step in as a coordinator, as 680 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:09,279 Speaker 3: a specialist, as a junior manager to learn the framework 681 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 3: and understanding of the space. 682 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:12,760 Speaker 4: Read the text from. 683 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 3: Leaders that are driving thought leadership and engagement here, follow 684 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:19,520 Speaker 3: the right folks on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn that are 685 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:23,440 Speaker 3: positioning thought leadership on this topic, and then parlay that 686 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:27,399 Speaker 3: into a growth and development opportunity in the space. Furthermore, though, 687 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:31,120 Speaker 3: I highly encourage my peers and colleagues in the space 688 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:35,440 Speaker 3: that are chief diversity officers or DEI leaders, continue to 689 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 3: grow in your own practice like keep yourself sharp. I 690 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 3: talk to a lot of DEI leaders that at times 691 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,239 Speaker 3: I feel like they may rest on their laurels of 692 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:47,160 Speaker 3: their experience from doing this work so well and for 693 00:38:47,239 --> 00:38:50,799 Speaker 3: so many years the reality though will is times are 694 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:54,320 Speaker 3: changing so significantly, and as gen Z and Janalpa are 695 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:59,080 Speaker 3: very actively and rapidly entering the workforce, expectations are different. 696 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:01,919 Speaker 3: There are many DEI practice specially who have not had 697 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 3: to navigate this construct of identity, for example around pronoun 698 00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:10,279 Speaker 3: utilization and understanding how to create inclusive spaces for transgendering 699 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 3: non binary communities. They have not had to navigate conversations 700 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 3: around eurodiversity and euro divergence. They have not had to 701 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:21,840 Speaker 3: navigate effective accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We all have 702 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:25,680 Speaker 3: to continue to grow in our own countenances, to be sharp, 703 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 3: to be effective, and to grow this work even more 704 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:32,000 Speaker 3: while also ensuring to protect our own well being. 705 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 1: Black Tech Green Money is a production to Blavity, Afrotech, 706 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 1: on the Black Effect Podcast Network and I Hire Media, 707 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:52,760 Speaker 1: and it's produced by Morgan Debond and me Well Lucas, 708 00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:56,240 Speaker 1: with additional production support by Sarah Ergan and Rose McLucas. 709 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:00,680 Speaker 1: Special thank you to Michael Davis Sevannessa Serrano. Learn more 710 00:40:00,680 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: about my guests The Other Tech this wepeor is the 711 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 1: innovators at afrotech dot com. Join your Black Tech Green 712 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:11,120 Speaker 1: Money Share this with somebody. Go get your money, Peace 713 00:40:11,160 --> 00:40:11,480 Speaker 1: and love.