The Alumni Society’s Post

DEI, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, aims to create a supportive and welcoming environment for individuals of various backgrounds. It's crucial to remember the core principles amid the negative backlash. DEI isn't about tokenism but recognizing the value each person's experience and identity brings. It's about providing opportunities based on skills and aptitude, not just academic knowledge. Research from McKinsey consistently demonstrates that diverse leadership leads to financial success and better problem-solving. In an evolving world, are your teams equipped to develop products that resonate with a diverse population? Does your team culture embrace inclusivity? #deiintech #diversitymatters #teksystems #ownchange

"What does Gen Z think of DEI?" I spoke with Torin Ellis yesterday, because there's no better human to talk to at a time like this. He had some questions for me about what my generation thinks of DEI... As an elder Gen Z with my finger on the pulse, here's what I said: ✅ Gen Z is the most culturally and ethnically diverse generation of all time ✅ Gen Z values DEI in the job search process most, out of any generation 🚫 Sure, Gen Z represents a powerful segment of consumers, and will make up 30% of the workforce by 2030, but the decisions around DEI are happening at such a high level, that I fear we have no skin in the game (yet) 🚀 BUT Gen Z IS the future, and I believe that the majority of us DO believe in and want to work for, buy from, and invest in organizations that uphold the values behind DEI -- and we are watching! onwards and upwards 🚀 #futureofwork #genZ #DEI #DEIB #Equity

This Black History Month, we're listening! Black History Month is more than a moment of reflection—it’s an opportunity to connect the past to the present and shape the #future. We recognise that #innovation doesn’t exist in isolation. History is full of #trailblazers who defied norms. This October, we’re taking the time to #listen, #learn, and highlight #diverse #voices, both within our team and across the wider industry. As we dive deeper into discussions about #inclusion, it’s impossible to ignore the growing efforts to ensure the future of #FinTech is one that works for everyone. We’re committed to ensuring that the intersection of #history and #technology is a force for positive, lasting change. Here’s what Amechi Muotune (AKA The Big Dog 🐶 ) had to say ... #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM2024 #BlackInnovation #BlackTech #DiversityInTech #FinTechForAll #BlackVoices

I know from experience how important it is to empower talents to pursue their own unique #career path, especially for talents from underrpresented groups. The more I'm excited to share our collaboration with ADAN Careers in Germany, as we take the next step on Deutsche Bank’s journey to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all talents. Our partnership with ADAN (Afro Diasporisches Akademisches Netzwerk) will help us increase our visibility as an employer among #BPoC (Black and People of Color) talents and encourage diverse talents to drive their careers with Deutsche Bank. At Deutsche Bank, we believe it's important not just to talk about people, but to involve them. That's why we've established our Employee Resource Groups, including dbENRICH and our internal Black Leadership Forum, to provide a platform for colleagues to network and contribute to a diverse corporate culture. To learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, have a look at the comments👇 What else does it take to drive inclusive culture? #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #TeamDB

I’ve long believed DEI has been in need of redefinition and evolution. Because the work is so much more than the acronym suggests. As Joelle Emerson says in Fortune: ➡️ “Instead of fighting over an acronym, we should recenter the conversation on the actual principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and appeal to people who believe in what those ideas represent.” 👇🏽👇🏽 👉🏽To that end, we must proactively explain what diversity, equity, and inclusion work is, and even more importantly, what it’s not. It’s not about categorizing people as either “oppressors” or “oppressed,” based on their identities.” 👉🏽”It’s not about punishing people for who they are or supporting certain groups to the detriment of others.” ✅”Instead, diversity is about casting a wide talent net to find a more representative group of skilled candidates or students.” ✅”Equity is about designing systems and processes so that people from all backgrounds have a fair opportunity to do their best. “ ✅”Inclusion is about creating cultures where everyone can be their true self and thrive.” IMO, this along with: 💡A shift in focus to pull through the connectivity between the principles of DEI to #mission #vision #purpose and #values and 💡Asking the right questions to account for differing perspectives and contexts ✅Will be helpful in getting to more inclusive experiences that are supportive and engaging. More from Joelle’s recent Fortune piece below 👇🏽

Diversity of thought 🤔 The reality is that there are less people from underrepresented groups in major industries such as finance and technology (and Distilled Spirits) because of systemic structures that have historically limited access and opportunity. To build up a pipeline of diverse talent, tradeoffs need to be built into the strategy. Read more 👉 https://sie.ag/3BaZZQ

CNBC - Please fix this headline! Each year as companies write about and find ways to elevate or celebrate Black History Month, there's always some inevitable flub -- like misnaming something important, showcasing a Black luminary but using the wrong photo, or noting "Celebrating Black Voices" on a streaming service that's a cartoon with no human characters but the story happens to take place in Africa. I have to brace myself for impact each February. CNBC - Please fix this headline. It's not "Black HERITAGE Month" but "Black HISTORY Month." While you didn't mean any harm (not being your intent), the impact (which matters significantly more than intent) is that you signaled a multitude of things about the valuation of this month and the people related to it. Because these errors don't happen in a bubble. Small slights pile up in a weathering way to compound one racially offensive thing upon countless others, like other microaggressions. I'm happy for the woman you interviewed and have no issues with this story. I'm pleased to hear about her work and background. I celebrate her rise in corporate America and have no doubt that she will continue to do great work as she excels in her career. But the headline is problematic and can be easily corrected. And I really wish I didn't have to even post this to get your attention. I wish you already knew what this month was entitled. NBC News MSNBC Goldman Sachs Asahi Pompey #blackhistorymonth #deib #deileaders #diversity #inclusion #diversityandinclusion #antiracism #RaceRules #americanhistory #racism #blm #microaggressions #career

This is the 11th instalment of our "Fintech Guide to Advancing Cultivating and Elevating your Black Talent" 12-step 12-month programme. Elizabeth Boampong says, “It’s not enough to have Black talent in the room; they must also be at the table where decisions are made” in her article, Committing to Fair Progression: Elevating Black Talent in Fintech Leadership. Thank you to everyone involved in producing the guide. Flavilla Fongang, Mary Kemi A., Brenda Lee Henderson Lisa Leid, Yianni Ellis, PMP, Juan Matthew, Mary Mosope Adeyemi, Michelle Rockson and Elizabeth Boampong Please be sure to download it and work through the steps month by month to make your workplace more inclusive. Join us in this important conversation and learn actionable strategies for fostering a truly inclusive environment. Email me for the full 12-step plan. Discover key insights on how inclusivity enhances employee morale and drives innovation and business growth. 🚀 #inclusioneveryday #BlackHistoryMonth #DiversityandInclusion #DEI #FinTechsDEIDiscussions #DiversityInTech

#GETInsights - As you may know if you’ve been following along, this month we’ve been doing a #BlackHistoryMonth series, highlighting some of our incredible partners in the #GETCommunity and sharing notable Black figures in tech. Today, we want to shift gears and take a moment to discuss the issue of Black representation in tech, in an effort to bring awareness to the prevailing inequities to ignite change. While progress has undoubtedly been made in terms of more equal representation of Black technologists in tech, there is still much work to be done to achieve true equity. Black people make up 12 percent of the US workforce but only 8 percent of employees in tech jobs.1 That percentage is even smaller further up the corporate ladder; just 3 percent of technology executives in the C-suite are Black, according to a McKinsey analysis of Fortune 500 executives. There is still a clear need for more representation of Black technologists in organizations, particularly in higher level leadership and CEO roles. Increasing Black representation in technology jobs isn’t just about bridging wage gaps. It means improving the lives of those who are regularly othered, diminished, and discounted in workplaces where they may be the only Black person. It’s also about developing inclusive technologies that have transformative potential for Black communities. Truthfully, businesses risk billions if Black professionals continue to be historically excluded in tech jobs, and effectively closing the gap means making changes to education, recruiting, and retention initiatives. We’re on a mission to achieve this at an accelerated pace. If you’re interested in joining us on this journey, visit the link to learn more: https://bit.ly/45Rhbts Read more on bridging the Black representation gap here: https://mck.co/3Oy2q8g #genderequalityintech #techleaders #womenintechnology #genderequality #inclusivetech #inclusivity #computerscience #womeninstem #equityintech #entrepreneurship #womenintech #genderequity #GETcommunity #innovation #technology #leadership #investment #startups #community #accelerator #blackintech #racialequity #womenintech #indigenoustech #latinasintech #blackwomenintech #latinosintech #latinx #getcities #getcitieshubs