Janna Allen Hines Consulting’s Post

As Pride month comes to a close, let's celebrate the incredible impact and influence of LGBTQIA+ leaders in higher education. 🌈 While we celebrate progress, the fight for true equality continues - and should continue all year long. Many LGBTQIA+ students (and staff, faculty and leadership) still face discrimination and a lack of support. We have a responsibility to create positive change by implementing inclusive hiring practices, challenging biases, and fostering safe and affirming spaces for everyone to thrive. Learn more about the work of LGBTQIA+ leaders, and how they continue to show that visibility matters: https://buff.ly/3ITb7Ho

Allyship is crucial—now more than ever. As organizations roll back DEI initiatives, many reveal they never truly valued diversity, equity, and inclusion. This troubling trend undermines the fight against discrimination and leaves DEI experts and employees of color powerless. Recent setbacks include the Supreme Court's affirmative action decision, Harvard's Claudine Gay's resignation, and the elimination of DEI positions at the University of Florida. With DEI efforts under attack, we must fight back by supporting inclusive policies and challenging discriminatory practices. To protect everyone’s rights – including yours – it’s time for people to be courageous and vocal, and to demonstrate allyship isn’t performative. Read my new Op-Ed article in the LA Times to learn more about the current state of DEI and its vital importance. This article also comes out in the print edition of the LA Times tomorrow. (Friday, June 7, 2024) https://lnkd.in/e9f5H6AR #DEI #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #RaceRules #AntiRacism #Allyship #PublicDiscourse #SocialJustice #InclusionMatters #EqualRights #AffirmativeAction #FightDiscrimination #LATimes #Harvard #performative #florida #civility #discrimation #racism #scotus #supremecourt #losangeles #whitesupremacy

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is currently under attack. Chris, Sharif, and Ismael break down DEI, its origins in corporate culture, and why those on the right are so focused on attacking it. The guys examine the limitations and challenges of DEI, as well as the role of equity in addressing systemic barriers. The conversation highlights the need for representation and the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality. The conversation touches on expensive DEI consultants, "overwoke" DEI programs, and highlights the need for clear goals and progress in these conversations. https://lnkd.in/ezbDA8ss

Love this positive message.  Be encouraged. Be courageous.  Practice self-awareness.

I am so excited to say that our video series Patterns in American Racism has been honored with a Telly Award! Watch the trailer for DEI in Context: Patterns in American Racism below. #DEIinContext #IKnowHistoryMatters

What’s the truth behind the backlash against DEI? Let's stay confident in our DEI work despite any negative feedback loops—the truth is that our efforts are working! Check out my upcoming video for a preview and my website for DEI development courses. For meaningful ways to discuss diversity, inclusion, and equity, start with my books "Moving Diversity Forward" and "What If I Say the Wrong Thing?" #vernamyers #diversityequityinclusion #DEI #inclusionquotes #AntiRacistEducation #antiracism #unconciousbias #InclusionInAction

The journey into deconstructing DEI has, in a way, already begun through the sociopolitical and economic deconstruction that we have seen increasingly since early 2020. Over time, we have modified our approaches from diversity management to cultural competency, with a more deliberate focus on inclusion, belonging, and equity, and, more recently (the past four years), a revisiting of social justice through anti-racism and racial equity. The list goes on. Organizations and those who have been passionate about “the work” (a phrase often used by DEI practitioners) have changed their terminology based on their objectives, past negative connotations, and misinterpretations. In some cases, those responsible for naming their departments and offices are working to create a brand that sounds more appealing and less tied to the approaches perceived as correlated with failure to increase the representation of underrepresented, underexposed, and, in some cases, excluded identities across a broad range of industries and their respective institutions. Deconstructing inclusion does not mean annihilation. To the contrary, it is an expansion beyond the structures that have often reduced certain terms and practices to effective versus ineffective and, in some cases, rendered such approaches no longer viable in place of the preferred approach of a popular individual or ideological group. The problem with this sort of reductionism is that organizations are very complex. To think that any single approach or mindset that has potential benefit for one firm has equal benefit for all is a gross assumption and incomplete at best. #ReconstructingInclusion #Inclusion #Diversity #Equity #Reductionism #InclusionWins

"’What is DEI?’ There is no answer that even a group of ‘experts’ can agree on. And what is a ‘DEI expert’? How is it possible to be expert in every way that the underlying concepts touch every aspect of US history and present? DEI experts don't exist…One of the reasons it has been so easy to create a disinformation campaign around ‘DEI’ is because it has been a Rorschach test for all comers. Each of the underlying terms can be defined--although there is still some discussion around the edges. But ‘DEI’ defies definition.” Dr. Adriane Johnson-Williams “DEI is being discussed only related to race. #Inclusion from disability and accessibility perpectives is beyond race. Inclusion and #equity from economic perspectives points to #opportunity, availability and reliability of resources which goes beyond race to sociological impacts and the need for change and support.“ Debra Ross “Because I work in #finance, which is predominantly white and male, I have a ringside seat to inertia and backwardness….The majority of people holding positions in finance & investment are not only susceptible to misinformation, they are leading the resistance and backlash….If we want to get word out, we must mobilize much more movement energy; then CNN and other #media will invest in better coverage.” Gillian Marcelle, PhD “DEI practitioners: work with #branding experts and #policy think tanks because we are 4 years behind this convoluted attack on DEI and it's only going to get worse without a proper response.” Charles D. Jackson “DEI is not about pitting one group against another but rather ensuring opportunity for all, irrespective of identity.” Amira Barger, MBA,CVA,CFRE MUST Read post below + ALL comments above from thread #InspiredByYou #FollowHer +“Economic Justice is #accounting Justice” by Clara Miller here https://lnkd.in/eyy6EKhj #Talent #investing #economy #inclusion #diversity #strategy #narrative #storytelling #impact #money #cultureofmoney #fearlessfreedom #OnRepeat

Samantha Katz, financial services have done a great job weaponizing DEI, ESG, and a few other acronyms including LGBTQ+. This is the attempt of the perceived predominant demographic of the industry to brand historically underrepresented communities as being "less than." There is also this deep-seated fear that these communities are coming after their piece of the pie. I have two responses to that. 1. If we take all the intersections that compose DEI: race, gender, disability, accessibility, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc. and clump them all together then our numbers would be the majority. 2. No one is coming to get your piece of the pie. If we keep excluding the underrepresented from access to financial planning and asset management we are bound to see the money leave the industry altogether. If we can be open to being more inclusive in financial services, we will bring in more assets and be able to provide sustainable practices for those who will take financial services in the future. We are not asking for a piece of anyone’s pie. We are asking firms to hire diverse chefs to bake more pies. (LinkedIn Article: https://lnkd.in/gcxWg2_K #DEI #FinancialServices #FinancialProfessionals #LGBTQ #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity

DEI is not merely a buzzword; it's a cornerstone of modern leadership, rooted in principles dating back to the civil rights movement. The concept of diversity having evolved to encompass various dimensions, including accessibility, reflects a deep understanding of the complexities of inclusivity in today's society. By embracing inclusive practices and fostering a culture of equity, we can pave the way for a more accessible and inclusive society. #Inclusivity #DEI #EthicalLeadership