Navigating the Backlash: Keeping Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Education Alive

April 2024

By Kim Harris, M.Ed.

Distinctive Voice Consulting

www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

 

As a child, I often heard the saying, “One step forward, two steps back.” It encapsulated the ebb and flow of progress—a seesaw effect that resonates even today in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) initiatives. Let’s delve into this complex landscape.

 

The Surge of Interest

In my March 2023 blog post, I highlighted the surge of interest in DEI. Suddenly, organizations were eager to engage in conversations about diversity, dismantle biases, and create more inclusive workplaces. As someone who founded a DEI business back in 2014, I witnessed firsthand the transformation. But then came 2020—a year of dual crises: the global pandemic and a racial awakening in the United States.

 

The Swift Backlash

The newfound interest in DEI in 2020 was swiftly met with resistance. Some Americans recoiled from shining a spotlight on societal inequities rooted in systemic racism. These inequities manifested across various domains: income, homeownership, education, access to healthcare, and even within the criminal justice system. Black and Brown communities faced disproportionate challenges, and the data from studies at institutions like the U.C. Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute underscored these disparities in their reporting here.

 

The Battle for Acknowledgment

As the backlash intensified, federal and state legislatures entered the fray. Their aim? To ban DEI programs and training—precisely the kind of work undertaken by organizations like Distinctive Voice Consulting. But why this pushback? The answer lies in the heart of DEI’s mission: to educate people to correct inequities within institutions and society. We cannot address societal disparities without first acknowledging their existence.

 

The Executive Order and Critical Race Theory

At the federal level, the former Trump Administration issued an “Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping” in 2020. This directive curtailed and defunded training on diversity, equity, and inclusivity within federal agencies. Even critical race theory—an analytical framework that examines systemic racism—became a contentious topic. The order aimed to silence these conversations, but it also ignited debates about the very essence of DEI. Fortunately, the current Biden Administration rescinded the Order.

 

Currently, individual states are jumping into the fray by introducing anti-DEI bills. To date, Republican law makers have introduced or passed more than 100 bills to regulate DEI initiatives. Here is a map showing the states that have enacted, passed and introduced anti-DEI bills here. Not only are some states banning DEI education, some college universities are following suit. Most recently, in March of 2024, the University of Florida announced the elimination of its chief diversity office position and eliminated all associated jobs because of a law passed by Governor Ron DeSantis. And more college campuses are following suit.

 

 

Moving Forward

At Distinctive Voice Consulting, I continue to champion these conversations with workshops and discussions about systemic inequality. I do so in a non-shaming, educational, and gracious way that encourages everyone to be advocates for equity and inclusivity. My latest workshop, “Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Unpacking Systems and Fostering Understanding,” is a great introductory workshop for anyone who wishes to initiate or continue their equity, diversity, and inclusivity learning journey. More information on this workshop can be found on the DVC website here: https://www.distinctivevoiceconsulting.com/workshops

 

Remember, DEI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a catalyst for meaningful change. Let’s continue the dialogue, even when faced with headwinds. To learn more about Distinctive Voice Consulting’s training and consulting visit: www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

 

 

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Changing Etiquette in the Workplace

 

March 2024

By Kim Harris, M.Ed.

Distinctive Voice Consulting

www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

  

Los Angeles based band The Byrds had a famous song called, “Turn, Turn, Turn,” which told the story of the changes in life. This song comes to mind as I think of the fluctuations of life in the work place, post Covid, and recent reports on how GenZ is blending into the fold of the workforce. For the first time in modern history, there are five generations in the workforce: The Traditionalists, also known as the Veterans, the Silent Generation and the Greatest Generation were born between 1922 and 1945, Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, and Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012.

 

With these five generations comes a clash of culture in dress, communication, and manners. Generations of the past leaned towards formality like dressing up to have dinner at home, with younger folks addressing their elders as Mister and Mrs. or Sir or Ma’am, and using full words in oral and written communications such as grocery store instead of “grosh” for short, or merchandise instead of “merch.” We are most definitely less formal today than our grandparents. Add to the multiple generations in the workplace, the coming of age of Gen Z in college and as new hires in the workplace. With this age diversity one can see the challenges that exist in the adjustments that need to be made. We have all seen the commercials of people attending meetings where they are business on the top, and party on the bottom, i.e. a dressy shirt and pajama pants or fuzzy slippers. But we need to remember that there does need to be a boundary between work life and personal life and this is the conversation that needs to be had.

 

To address these adjustments, Distinctive Voice Consulting has created a new workshop titled, “Changing Etiquette in the Workplace: How to be Professional in Modern Times.” This workshop is for young adults and anyone who believes they can use help navigating professionalism in today’s society.

 

In this workshop, participants will learn how to identify the difference between professional and unprofessional written and verbal communication, as well as discussions on professional attire for the workplace. DVC uses video, interactive quizzes, and discussion to unpack topics in a safe, authentic and judgment free environment. The workshop will be held via Zoom and will last between 1 ½ to 2 hours. If you are interested in getting on the waist list for this workshop, email DistinctiveVoiceConsulting@gmail.com

 

To learn more about Distinctive Voice Consulting’s training and consulting visit: www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

 

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Is America Racist?

 

February 2024

By Kim Harris, M.Ed.

Distinctive Voice Consulting

www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

 

Happy Black History month! As an American Black woman, I sit here and ponder my heritage and how far African-Americans have come since the forced immigration of my ancestors to the United States in 1619. And in the presidential election year, I cringe at the responses of two Republican primary candidates when they are asked whether or not America is a racist country. I watch candidate Nikki Haley get a “deer in the headlights look” when asked about racism in the United States, and I watch former candidate Ron DeSantis’ face turn red when he is asked the same question. Then my own questions come to mind, why are they being asked this question in 2024? Isn’t the answer obvious? What is obvious is that Americans have a difficult time talking about race. Why is that?

 

I think the long and the short of it is America’s love affair with the concept of meritocracy: a system of rewards being given to those who work hard. And for the most part, this is a true fact about this great country. Most people have the opportunity to excel in this country with hard work. But what of those who don’t excel with hard work? How do we explain the fact that some hard-working folks don’t get ahead? Is it bad luck? Poor decision making? Or is there something else at play here?

 

When we talk about racism, we need to differentiate between individual racism, the belief of superiority of one race over others acted on between racial groups and individuals, and systemic racism, a structure of laws, policies and practices across society that benefit the dominant culture over other races. So, the question, is America racist, needs to be framed in a way where we look at laws, policies, and practices in this country instead of individual racism. We need to evaluate this question from a systemic frame. This is where we Americans get stuck. This is where some American politicians get derailed. I believe they are answering the question of America being racist based on the definition of individual racism, not systemic racism.

 

And there is much data to back up on-going systemic racism in America. For evidence, I offer the U.C. Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute’s Racial Disparities Dashboard which aims to provide empirical data on racial disparity outcomes in the United States in 15 areas from 1970 to 2020 from an African-American and European American dichotomy. This data allows us to see where we as Americans are making progress and where more work needs to be done in the areas of: bachelor’s degree attainment, high school graduation attainment, health insurance coverage, childhood poverty rates, home ownership rates, incarceration rates, infant mortality rates, life expectancy, maternal mortality rates, median home value, median household income, median racial wealth gap, poverty rates, unemployment rates and voting rates. You can access this report here.

 

Among the 15 benchmark areas of success measured comparing African Americans to White Americans within the 50-year time frame, there has been improvement in seven areas (high school graduation rates, childhood poverty, access to health insurance, infant mortality rate, life expectancy, poverty rates and voting rates). The area of highest improvement in closing the disparity gap is the African-American high school graduation rate (7.1% difference between Black and White Americans in 1970 versus 1.9% in 2020).

 

Sadly, eight of the areas measured continued to show disparity rates between African Americans and White Americans (bachelor degree attainment, home ownership, incarceration rates, maternal mortality rates, median home value, median household income, median racial wealth gap, and the unemployment rate). The greatest disparity of the eight areas measured was the median racial wealth gap between White Americans and Black Americans with a 29% disparity increase. There is no area measured where African Americans have a higher disparity rate over their White American counterparts in this report.

 

The markers from this report are the benchmarks of American success and wellness, and while there are improvements, we need to aim for parity across these benchmarks. There are many resources to unpack these disparities, how they came into existence and why they persist. If you choose to do more reading I would check out: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi, and The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein.

 

So, the next time you hear the question, “Is America a racist country?” it is my hope that the sting of shame and denial do not override your brain and put you in a state of denial of the facts. In my view, healing and unity can only be achieved with acceptance of the truth and creating truly equitable laws, policies and practices that benefit everyone. Until we can all agree on the truth based on evidence, I predict that our country will continue to wrestle with the question of racism, arresting our ability to come together as one. Only through honest conversations, and true reconciliation can America move forward in a positive direction and heal the wounds caused by systemic racism.

 

To learn more about Distinctive Voice Consulting’s equity and inclusion training and consulting, or to discuss having honest conversations at your organization visit: www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

 

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Encouraging Transformative Solutions: 2024 Equity Pledge Challenge

 

By Kim Harris, M.Ed.

Distinctive Voice Consulting

www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

 

With the onset of a new year, I enter cautiously with love, wishing for world peace and goodwill to all. I know it is a tall wish and at times I confess that I feel hopeless for the state of humanity. With war raging in the middle east and eastern Europe, with 2024 being an election year in the United States, and with mass immigration taking place globally where people are fleeing violence in their home country and seeking asylum in safer countries, society has much to be concerned about. What can one person do about such global issues? These issues are very complex and take a village of minds to solve. But one must wonder, what is in the heart of the people tasked with solving these matters? Do these leaders have a heart for human rights and equity?

 

As many of you may or may not know, I am an alumna of U.C. Berkeley which in 2012 initiated an institute to study and produce research about policy and “remediate the processes of exclusion, marginalization, and structural inequality—what we call othering—in order to build a world based on inclusion, fairness, justice, and care for the earth—what we call belonging.”

 

The Othering & Belonging Institute recently published a 7-minute video which opens a conversation around safety, what it means, and the need for a society to transform from an old paradigm of hierarchy, to reimagining a society of equity where “excess and scarcity balance to sustain everyone,” and where “vibrant communities coexist with mutual respect.”

 

I offer this video to you to inspire you to work to create transformative solutions within your sphere of influence and to reimagine a world where equity and inclusion is centered.

 

Rethinking National Security: How To Tell A New Story In Which Everyone Belongs by the U.C. Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute: here

I would love to hear if this video inspired you to do something different and I challenge you to make a pledge to change something in your sphere of influence in 2024.

 

To learn more about the Distinctive Voice Consulting Mission and training philosophy, visit: here or email any questions and your 2024 equity pledge to: DistinctiveVoiceConsulting@gmail.com

 

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Let’s Keep the Conversation about Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Moving Forward

 

By Kim Harris, M.Ed.

Distinctive Voice Consulting

www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com

November 2023

After the acquittal of George Zimmerman over the murder of teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012, three Black female organizers, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opel Tometi, created a Black centered political movement to raise social awareness of issues facing African Americans. It began with a hash-tag, #BlackLivesMatter in 2013 (BLM) and this movement grew with momentum as everyday citizens used cell phones to capture law enforcement brutally murdering African-Americans during police arrests.

 

The BLM movement reached a pinnacle in 2020 with the murder of George Floyd by law enforcement and during the Covid-19 Pandemic. People and corporations began to support BLM as well as an interest in learning about systemic racism. Businesses like mine could barely keep up with the demand. Then came the backlash among folks who found discussion around equity, diversity, and inclusivity divisive and anti-white. This backlash was supported by federal legislation by the 45^th President of the United States’ “Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping in September of 2020. This order directed federal agencies to end training about diversity, equity, and inclusion, citing the training as divisive. There was also legislation by several states that followed suit, moving the pendulum back in the other direction of maintaining the status quo of European American dominant culture values in the United States.

 

I believe that this legislation, among other causes, has been instrumental in the decline of support of the BLM movement. In June of 2023, the Pew Center released a survey that found that fewer adults support the BLM movement today than a year ago (51 percent today versus 56 percent in 2022). What is more fascinating is the demographic breakdown of those who continue to support the BLM movement versus those who do not. The 5,073- person Pew survey found that:

 

·       Black adults are more likely to support the BLM movement at 81%, versus 63% of Asian adults, 61% Hispanic adults, and 42% white adults

·       64% of adults ages 18-29 support BLM

·       52% of 30–49-year-olds support BLM

·       46% of 50–64-year-olds support BLM

·       41% of people 65 and older support BLM

·       84% of people who identified as Democrats support BLM

·       82% of people who identify as Republicans oppose BLM

 

My takeaway from these stats is that we are a nation divided by age, race, and political party. Some folks believe equity and inclusion is beneficial while others believe that talking about how systems create disparate outcomes for people based on race, class, gender, and sexual orientation, is divisive.

 

I find this topic fascinating. At DVC, I purpose to facilitate conversations about race, class, gender, and other diverse aspects of identity in a gracious, affirming and learning environment. To this end I have created a new workshop titled, “Why Should I Care about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion?” In this workshop, participants will have a conversation about what they believe is divisive about equity and inclusion. This discussion will be followed up with exercises to unpack aspects of diversity, understanding systemic racism and privilege. Participants will leave with a better understanding of why equity, diversity, and inclusion benefits everyone (including themselves!).

To learn more about this new two-hour introductory workshop email: DistinctiveVoiceConsulting@gmail.com

 

 

We Can Do Better

 By Kim Harris, M.Ed.

Distinctive Voice Consulting

www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com 

 

Being the target of a racist statement hurts. I remember in college, reeling from the accusation by a white student, that I got into U.C. Berkeley as a minority student, not because of my mental acumen. Fast forward to today, some 40 years later, and I suffer again as I listen to my adult child tell me a story about them being the target of a racist statement. In 2023, I would imagine that people have grown to understand that we, as people from different racial ancestries, are not each other’s enemy. Yet, there are still forces in our culture that divide people, pitting us against one another. When our society is fueled by anger and division stemming from some of our nation’s political leaders, one needs to critically think about who, or what, is being gained by the division. Because of this division I have a job but I would love to see the day when my skills of equity, diversity and inclusivity training are unnecessary.

 

Recently, one of my adult children told me the story of being at work and monitoring their place of employment for safety. My adult child was partnered with a co-worker and the two of them were entering a building and a person held the door for them to let them in the building. My child and his co-worker told the person that for safety purposes, they should not let anyone into the building, but rather make everyone use their key card. This person, from the dominant culture, mumbled to my child of color and his co-worker of color that “he didn’t like Black people.” I was crushed when my adult child told me this story. I experience this bigotry, in my training I hear the bigotry experienced by others, and now this bigotry has come full circle and is experienced by one of my own despite the work that I do to eradicate it. I work diligently through my training, to create a world where no one should be subject to bigotry. I asked my child what they did and my child shared that the incident was reported to leadership.

 

This pattern of behavior can be found in the “Common Patterns of Whites” by Dr. Kathy Obear, a leading expert in conflict and change management to create inclusive environments, here. I would like to draw your attention to pattern #11, whites “resent taking direction from a person of color.”  My heart not only goes out to my child and their work colleague, but, I also feel sadness for the person that professed their hatred for Blackness. Where did he learn this? Did he feel empowered after saying these words? Did he believe he took back his power with his words of hatred?

 

It is important for us as a society to have conversations about race, class, and gender to unearth the source of negative feelings and release them for good. But many people are uncomfortable talking about these issues for fear of being shamed and ostracized. There are also some Americans who are comfortable with the current American standards that reflect those of European ancestry, that works for them. We live in two Americas and when these groups come together and conflict arises, we create borders and divisions to reinforce our separateness. This is why at Distinctive Voice Consulting I create training using adult teaching models to create learning in a shame free, educational environment to help bridge divides and create inclusivity. It is my vision that these two Americas become one in the spirit of what the country’s founding fathers imagined.

 

To learn more about the Distinctive Voice Consulting Mission and training philosophy, visit: here or email any questions to: DistinctiveVoiceConsulting@gmail.com

 

Let’s Work to Heal

By Kimberly Harris, M.Ed.

Distinctive Voice Consulting

September 2023

“Why can’t we all just get along,” questioned Rodney King, after the Los Angeles riots in 1992. The riots erupted after the acquittal of four Los Angeles Police Department officers charged with usingexcessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King in March of 1991.

Fast forward to today in Montgomery, Alabama, at the Montgomery riverfront park on August 5, 2023 and we see a similar brutal beating of a uniformed Black riverboat worker by white boaters. The attack of the Black riverboat worker occurred because the worker asked several white owners of a pontoon boat to move their boat because it was parked in the spot where a larger commercial riverboat was scheduled to dock. Many folks posted video on social media of the riverboat employee talking to several people from the illegally parked pontoon explaining how it needed to be moved. One of the pontoon passengers grew tired of the request and hit the riverboat worker who was simply doing his job. What followed was an epic brawl that started when white pontoon boat passengers physically assaulted the Black riverboat worker, and ended with passengers from the docked riverboat coming to the rescue of the riverboat worker. The video can be seen here.

When I look at this incident from an equity, diversity and inclusion perspective, two resources come to mind: Common Patterns of Whites by Dr. Kathy Obear, shared by Dr. Robin DiAngelo, which can be found here, and White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun which can be found here. Of the many patterns of behavior within the Dr. Obear framework, I see #11, whites resenting taking direction from a person of color, as a key issue here. From the Tema Okun construct, I see “fear” (white supremacy culture of instilling fear), as the tactic used in this incident.

In my curiosity to get more perspective concerning this event from someone I know who lives in Alabama, I reached out to a white associate who shared that she was embarrassed that her home state was associated with an episode like this one, that drew national attention. Then she said something that struck me as telling, even though she knew nothing of the incident until I raised it with her. My Alabama associate said that she thought the pontoon boat owners were not acting based on race, and that they were most likely from out of town. This response struck me as denial/defensiveness from the Okun framework, and #13 from the Obear framework, focus on their (whites’) “good intent” as whites, rather than on the negative impact of their behavior. Another thought that occurred to me from my associate’s comments of denial, is that even if these bad actors were from out of town, that would mean that they believed that their behavior was perfectly acceptable in Alabama. We now know that the pontoon boat passengers were locals.

As Americans, we will never heal from systemic and individual racism with denial. It is important for folks to acknowledge the truth of these interactions, call them what they are, and do the work to address the overlying and underlying issues of bias and racism. An update to this story by WSFA 12 in Montgomery Alabama which can be viewed here, indicated that police did not believe race to be a factor in this incident so defendants will not be charged with a hate crime. I find this decision laughable and question the motive, though I understand that eliminating the racial component of the incident is an attempt to mitigate the matter as suggested in the above-mentioned frameworks.

America needs a healing reckoning from its roots in racism, oppression, and marginalization of Black and Brown people. Healing from systemic and individual racism and bias requires honesty, self-reflection, and hard work. It requires education and conversation in a safe space and healing space. If you are interested in conversations about bias, equity, and inclusion in a safe and educational space, please contact me at DistinctiveVoiceConsulting@gmail.com or visit my website www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com for training opportunities.

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