Continued Conversations into Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplaces has shifted to the forefront for many companies. in the wake of Black Lives Matter and the continued protests surrounding injustices, the conversation has been a catalyst in many of the areas where injustices and discrimination plays a major role. While this shift has been a positive step forward, some of these initiatives have fallen short of implementing meaningful change, particularly for Black employees.
An issue that arises is companies may focus on increasing diversity without addressing the underlying biases and systemic issues that prevent Black employees from advancing within the organization. It may be a start to shift recruitment to bring in more talented people of color but if the interview process falls short on seeing individuals make it through to the end, what has been accomplished? Management usually has a final say on who they want and often times its falls to who they know. Diversity sometimes isn’t reflected in management and executive level positions. The underlying biases may be hidden when it comes to those in these positions as they could be unaware of the recruitment pool that has made it to the interview with them. Other issues that prevent itself is companies may hire more Black employees at entry-level positions and then fail to provide them with resources needed to advance or often times overlook them as options for promotions or advancements.
The continued promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion often falls to employees of color to lead the charge of the conversation and carry the burden of microaggressions and discrimination in the workplace. unconscious bias training has been introduced but often falls to being a checkbox that needs to be checked as completed instead of addressing the underlying structural inequalities or the unique experiences and perspectives of Black employees. The conversation needs to be more than just conversations. More than just a training exercise and more than an initiative to promote DEI without applying the necessary changes. It goes beyond just hiring more diverse employees. There needs to be policies and practices that continue to be acted on, outside of meetings, trainings and discussions.
While it is important to recognize and celebrate different groups at different periods of time (Black history month, Women’s History month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride, Hispanic heritage month etc.), limiting the conversation to specific months or events can create a false sense of progress. Where does the conversation go once the month ends? Did the moments lead directly to implementing a change? Does it get carried on outside of each specific month of celebration? initiatives should be ongoing and integrated into the fabric of a company's culture and values and promote a culture of inclusion and allyship year-round that works within each group but also across each group. Where does the conversation go from here?
Publication declines SZA's request for Black photographer
And if there wasn’t another reason… this is why it is very important that we lift up Black Publications and build up our own spaces. SZA’s request to be shot by a Black photographer was turned down by a publication she refused to name.
And if there wasn’t another reason… this is why it is very important that we lift up Black Publications and build up our own spaces. SZA’s request to be shot by a Black photographer was turned down by a publication she refused to name.
“I requested a Black photographer for a cover n the mag told me no lol its 2021...and almost Juneteenth,” SZA posted on Twitter. “Respectfully, I can’t do it.” Not wanting to name the publication, SZA did go on to list a few publications who previously featured her on covers and gave Black photographers the chance to showcase their talents.
But we’ve heard this story before. We know this too well. It dates back as far as magazines have existed from the popular teen magazine refusing to feature Tia & Tamera Mowry with the success they had because they didn’t think they would sell; to Beyoncé having brought over the first Black Photographer (Tyler Mitchell) to shoot a Vogue cover. Its all smoke and mirrors. If Beyoncé wasn’t as big of a name and a need for Vogue would they have still gone with a Black Photographer? Not taking away from the achievements to have accomplished such a feature but when do we get to a point where we lift up Black publications and spaces that don’t blatantly exclude Black talent until its trendy?
This can also be attributed to the level of celebrity publications may assume someone to have — which seems they will bend to a cover stars request if they need them. At what point do go where we are accommodated. When do we go where its people who look like us and create for us? When do we have spaces created by people who look like us be the go to place where we don’t have to go into these spaces where we don’t our needs met.
It continues to go back to having to work twice as hard to obtain half in return. The fact that there seems to be little to no Black Creatives at these publications that can execute a project that would showcase Black Talent in the right light. It’s always the bringing in a Black Photographer or the Black makeup artist or the Black designer just for the purpose of the shoot instead of already being equipped with a diverse group of talent. Even this sentiment extends outside of just creative spaces. It’s the same in corporate spaces. It’s the same in professional fields with Doctors and hospitals. And the list goes on and on.
How are we in 2021, still having to hear and see these same stories? How are these publications still managing to skate by and be allowed to run spaces like these? When do we make these spaces more diverse or have a diverse space do what should be done?
UNITY IS GREAT BUT FREEDOM IS BETTER
"I think certain sides have given a lot, you know. And I think the question is, how much more do we need to give? You know, I always say this: unity is great, but freedom is better. And there's a part of this population that has sacrificed their freedom time and time again for unity, and they're tired of it. Yes, we want to have compromise. Yes, we want bipartisanship. But it shouldn't cost people [their] wages, and health care, and education. So if you're asking us to come together and that means that *my* world doesn't change, the people whose world needs to change doesn't change, I don't want that kind of unity. I want the kind of unity that leads to change for people who have waited for it. And if this pandemic hasn't showed us that we need to serve people *first*, and that needs to be a unifying message, the Republicans need to be on board with actually taking care of people, if we can unify around that then I'm all for it. But if that means we're gonna compromise and we're gonna continue to serve the one percent, the people who we have always served, that's not the kind of unity we need right now." - Yvette Simpson
As everyone responds to the news of the president elect being Joe Biden and having a democratic candidate win; It is important to see a clear transition from what we have come to see, not only in the past 4 years but for the system that has been in place for so long. It is important for us to see a clear direction of change. A Democratic Presidential win can’t be the end of a movement towards change. A female Vice President elect can’t be the final stop towards breaking barriers. This process shouldn’t stop here. The work must continue and it should be taken lightly because there is still so much that needs to get done.
As we have seen, the racial disparities when it comes to how this pandemic has affected communities and have a system in place has failed so many. This win shouldn’t take away from black lives matter movement. This win, for many, shouldn’t be the quick fix that some are taking this as. The President elect spoke about ‘uniting both sides,” after his win but this shouldn’t erase of overshadow the issues Black and minority communities have faced.
We we’re in the negative and now we are at zero -
Just as I viewed this Instagram Post, what Yvette Simpson stated embodied exactly my thoughts on how this year and this election has played out. Once again Black Women are showing up and doing the work.
