Maya Richard-Craven’s Post

This is a friendly reminder that inclusion without equity is performative diversity. This week, SHRM, an organization that trains and equips HR professionals, made waves by adopting the acronym I&D instead of IE&D. The goal is to focus on inclusion first in an attempt to address DEI's shortcomings while weathering the backlash against it. There's just one problem: Without equity, you do not have inclusion because marginalized populations won't stay long enough in your company, they won't move up, or they may not even enter the organization altogether. Earlier this week, Dwight Jackson, a Black job applicant, made headlines when he filed a lawsuit against a company that wouldn't give him a job interview until he used a more "Caucasian name". Where was the inclusion here? It is 2024 and yet HR folks STILL weed out applicants based on ethnic sounding names, disabilities, etc. I could care less if the people in your company know how to cook food from 5 continents, speak 3 languages, or celebrate Juneteenth. HR needs to talk about this more often instead of civility. What I do care about is if HR (and your hiring managers) haven't taken the time to unpack their biases. Because when they don't, situations like Dwight Jackson happen. And that's where equity comes in: understanding that applicants of color face additional barriers when applying for jobs. THAT is when you achieve diversity and inclusion because when your gatekeepers take this into consideration, you get more employees from historically marginalized groups. Trying to make everyone "feel included" falls short if marginalized populations struggle to get in the door. At this point, you're catering to fragile people from privileged identities who don't want to challenge the systems of exclusion they perpetuate. #DiversityAndInclusion #Diversity #DEI #Equality #AntiRacism #HR Image description: snapshot of CNN article about Dwight Jackson, a Black applicant who was only able to land a job interview after changing his name to a less ethnic sounding one.

#oops #whoops 🫠🥴 “Practice what you preach”. It’s simple. Unfortunately this happens all the time. It’s really a shame in 2024. They’re going to find a way to blame him though—paint him as the #problem . That’s normally what happens🤦🏾♂️❌. Sad. If you’re going to preach DEI, then actually BE #inclusive. The best way to have inclusivity is to BE inclusive🙂. I just find it interesting that the people who do stuff like this are the same people who listen to #KendrickLamar when they get off of work 🤔🧐. I think this extends further than just the workplace/HR. People really need to engage with people/cultures who don’t look like them in their communities so they don’t view everyone else as a #threat or a #stranger . This is reason why I’ve been to 24 countries—to try to understand others points of view rather than just writing people off at 1st glance.

YES! And we all know that performative diversity = stratified quotas = status quo affirmative action...and even that is being struck down by a Supreme Court with an "agenda". If you remove equity, you might as well just tell everyone you want to continue paying lip service to buzz words and not actually DO any of the work. Sorry, not sorry...we Black folk (and our ancestors) have heard this half-*ssed promise in the 1860s, 1960s, and many of us will be retired or dead before the 2060s. And no disrespect to any of you wonderful HR people out there in the trenches, but this is EXACTLY why many DEI folks strongly feel it is not okay to just throw DEI under the HR umbrella and call it a day. This business division (and its professional associations) are SHOWING you their tendencies toward programming & initiatives that lack a basic understanding of DEI, much less a strategic implementation of it.

🌟 Let's Talk About Open Dialogue 🌟 Fatimah Gilliam's recent article in Fast Company, "3 Blunt Things Black People Want Their White Coworkers to Know but Won't Say to Their Faces," highlights the importance of fostering open and honest conversations in our workplaces. As an equity and inclusion consulting firm, we're inspired by Gilliam's call to create spaces where all voices are heard and valued. This article is a powerful reminder that understanding and inclusivity are key to building better work environments for everyone. We invite our network to read this insightful piece and join us in reflecting on how we can all contribute to more inclusive workplaces. How do you think we can encourage these essential conversations in our professional lives? https://lnkd.in/eBuKK59N #Inclusion #Diversity #WorkplaceCulture #DEI #amplifyBlackvoices

We recognize the importance of embracing the full spectrum of personalities and experiences in the workplace. This  Cosmopolitan article by Rene Germain sheds light on a critical yet often overlooked aspect of Inclusion in the workplace: the unique challenges faced by introverted Black women. In a world where the mainstream media predominantly showcases Black culture as extroverted and larger-than-life, introverted Black women frequently find themselves under pressure to conform to these stereotypes, especially in predominantly white workplaces. Organizations must understand and appreciate the within Black women's personalities. We must move beyond stereotypes and acknowledge that being introverted does not equate to a lack of engagement or capability. By fostering an environment where all employees feel valued and understood, regardless of their personality type, we can create a more inclusive and productive workplace. Link:https://lnkd.in/g3V-ng34

⭐ The UK's largest study on Black Gen Z experiences reveals a strong desire for belonging and highlights areas for improvement. This HR News blog dives deep into the experiences of Black young professionals in the UK. Key findings include: 👉 Over half of Black 18-24 year olds have faced racism at work in the past five years. 👉 Authenticity matters: 85% of Black Gen Z value being themselves at work, yet nearly half feel unable to do so. 👉 DEIB is key: When searching for jobs, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) rank as the most important factor for 42% of Black respondents. 👉 Hybrid work preferred: Contrary to popular belief, Gen Z favours flexible or hybrid work models over fully remote options. The report offers practical recommendations for employers to build more diverse and equitable workplaces. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eUy9cU_i #BlackGenZ #Diversity #Inclusion #Workplace

Say it with me now: "Without equity as part of your ENTIRE employee lifecycle (Recruitment to Transition), something like this (discrimination) WILL happen." In fact, it's likely already happening in your org right now. Y'all just dodged a lawsuit because likely the candidate or employee didn't push for a case or didn't secure proof. Let's be clear: Bias in ANY part of your employee lifecycle will put you at risk for a discrimination lawsuit. If your HR organization and all hiring managers aren't doing the necessary professional development to prevent this, your company is in for a world of hurt. No one's taking this tomfoolery from employers anymore. It's a new day. If your Talent Acquisition team is operating and selecting like this, they are failing and putting the company at risk. I see this as unacceptable performance. If your hiring managers are promoting and evaluating employee performance without equity, then they are putting your company at risk and they are failing in their responsibilities. I see this as unacceptable performance. Because this is more than compliance. We collectively know compliance is equivalent to bare minimum only--this is a culture AND professional development fail. This is a performance fail. One that can have you talking to attorneys. FAFO if you choose. Equity matters.

https://lnkd.in/dv5GtF9q Recently, I was in conversation with a Black woman who works in tech. During our conversation, she lamented “I feel like ‘the help’ at work. I am assigned menial tasks and there is a lack of investment in my learning and development. My role has so much space for growth, but my colleagues only ask me to support them with task management.” Harvard Business Review’s research on workload distribution corroborates her experience. HBR notes that women and people of color are disproportionally assigned “office work” while dominant group members are more likely to be assigned “glamour Work.” Glamour work creates high visibility and builds one’s reputation while office work is often erased and devalued. Here are a few ways to address this issue: 💡 Workload Distribution: Workload distribution is tied to recognition, job satisfaction, well-being, and a sense of belonging. White cis men are much more likely to be given high-profile flashy projects while women of color are much more likely to be assigned smaller tasks or placed in supportive roles. 🔈 Deferral Culture: Oftentimes the contributions of Black women and women of color are minimized and ignored. Creating space for all employee’s insights and ideas to be heard is a big step toward equity and inclusion. 💵 Make Career Advancement a Regular Conversation: Managers can support the retention and promotion of Black women and women of color by regularly discussing their career goals and promotional pathways. 📒 Create Space for Special Projects: Managers can support the growth of women-identified employees by allowing them to take on or create special projects. This should not be in addition to their role. Rather, managers should work with women-identified direct reports to discuss what projects they would like to take on and how this work can fit into their current position