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As a DEI practitioner, I am passionate about creating a socially just, equitable, and inclusive world. I am sure many of you—whatever your capacity or role in DEI is, formally or not—feel similarly. As social activist Deepa Iyer framed, we are all part of a social change ecosystem, working together as storytellers, first-line responders, builders, visionaries, and more. As I continue to explore my role in the broader social change ecosystem and how we can begin to decolonize as an industry, I always end up at the same end of the rabbit hole: Money. Even the language I just used, “industry” and the “work,” all have underpinnings that ultimately aren’t prioritizing what we stand for: diversity, inclusion, and ultimately, equity and justice for all.  

To decolonize DEI, we have to start acknowledging that we are working within a capitalist system—theoretically intended to serve everyone as equals under law, but ultimately resulting in an America where the system’s shortcomings have prevailed. Not only are we doing the DEI “work” such that profits are prioritized over people, the interests of social justice have fallen through the cracks. Additionally, the meritocratic “rags to riches” is a lost and unrealistic ideal, as economic mobility becomes more and more difficult. Within a colonial economic mindset, we are erasing the history and reality that our land and the wealth we have created were taken from indigenous people, with the unfulfilled “promise” of serving all people. As an industry within a capitalist society, we are not often enough striving to create equal opportunity to thrive and be well in our society—which should be a core tenet of DEI.  

As an industry within a capitalist society, we are not often enough striving to create equal opportunity to thrive and be well in our society – which should be a core tenet of DEI. Click To Tweet

Regardless of whether or not we believe in a capitalist financial system, we are not able, as individuals or small organizations, to dismantle that reality. Still, we have influence as leaders in the social change ecosystem to disrupt and dismantle oppressive components of the system. We have the potential to shift from within our spheres of influence, starting with how we address DEI at our organizations. No matter our role, we can inspire and drive change from within, and work on how we show up in our behaviors, language, community, and jobs, striving to ultimately create equity for all people.  

If you are a Chief Diversity Officer: Who are you partnering with, and what are you prioritizing to  support our goals for diversity, equity, and inclusion?  

Let’s be frank: 60% of CDOs are white. The majority are male and millennials. Whether you belong in this category, or are a POC in this space—I challenge you to think of what voices aren’t being heard in your diversity and inclusion leadership. We have to address: when working in DEI, whose livelihoods are you profiting from, and how do your decisions impact employees of your organization? For example, creating a strategy that uses words like “empathy,” “bias,” and even “inclusion” may seem more palatable and less controversial than words like “racism” or “decolonization” in your goals. But words are power; how can we truly reach our organizational goals and combat systemic racism and inequity if we are constantly afraid of pushback and alienation? Given the often small budgets given to DEI initiatives, I challenge you to ideate beyond your monetary budget; expanding beyond your department and leveraging cultural expertise and resource-sharing are great ways to involve employees across your organization to create a truly inclusive workplace community. 

I challenge you to think of what voices aren’t being heard in your diversity and inclusion leadership. We have to address: when working in DEI, whose livelihoods are you profiting from, and how do your decisions impact employees? Click To Tweet

If you are a DEI Consultant: In what ways are you limiting advancement of DEI goals to maximize profits?  

DEI consultants are often pressured into a unique balancing act: an outsider when it comes to organizational culture, trying to leverage expertise in social theories and concepts while also tailoring work to the goals of the client. Financially, it is in consultants’ best interest to do what the client wants… but how may we be potentially selling ourselves short of the goals of DEI, by “meeting people where they are?” As someone in the consulting side, I sometimes find myself second guessing the educational content I put out: is it too “radical” or too “complex”? Often we get pushback that employees aren’t “ready,” and we edit content accordingly… but that’s the problem. I challenge the DEI consulting space to consider: are we not giving our full expertise and/or diluting our messages in efforts to retain clients? What message is that sending overall to the organizations we work with, and ultimately, how is that showing up in how diversity and inclusion education is showing “results”: one-off bias trainings show little impact, if any, on creating an equitable workforce. 

I challenge the DEI consulting space to consider: are we not giving our full expertise and/or diluting our messages in efforts to retain clients? What message is that sending overall to the organizations we work with? Click To Tweet

If you are an Executive or Organizational Leader: How can you strive for inclusion as it relates to how money is distributed at your organization?  

For a leader at any organization, the “business case” for diversity and inclusion has been historically prioritized. This narrative has to change, and that starts with leadership. Why does creating an inclusive and equitable workplace have to create money for it to be worthy of your company’s time? I challenge you to reassess how diversity and inclusion is monetized. A common response from companies here is to point to a corporate social responsibility initiative or a social consciousness goal, a way of showing to the world, “Hey, we care about more than just profit!” Sure, philanthropy is important—but is this form of giving truly inclusive? The data show otherwise: although 80% of companies report addressing DEI in their philanthropic efforts, only 37%  track equity internally as a measure of social responsibility, and only 25% of these companies say their diversity and inclusion efforts are aligned with their financial giving.  

Why does creating an inclusive and equitable workplace have to create money for it to be worthy of your company’s time? I challenge you to reassess how diversity and inclusion is monetized. Click To Tweet Although 80% of companies report addressing DEI in their philanthropic efforts, only 37% track equity internally as a measure of social responsibility, and only 25% of these companies say their diversity and inclusion efforts are… Click To Tweet

Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth, describes this disconnect best: the concept of philanthropy and rich giving to poor itself is a colonial concept. Instead, he suggests adopting a culture of reciprocity: sharing resources and giving historically marginalized groups and people the resources to sustain and grow themselves. I challenge you to think critically about why certain departments at your organization are allocated more financial resources, and also challenge you to look at your intent as it relates to corporate social responsibility. Are you genuinely letting go of some of your own finances and the power that comes with it, or are you donating funds to be used based off of what you think aligns with your company’s values? Are you aligning your company actions with your financial giving, or are you just trying to maximize a tax break?   

To put our money where our mouth is, we have to unlearn what it means to succeed financially in the colonial, western mindset. DEI is fundamental to economic equity and justice. With this reality in mind, we must start by asking these questions and disrupting capitalist assumptions of “value.”