I’ve been reading Kim Scott’s book, Just Work: How to Root Out Bias, Prejudice, and Bullying to build a Kick-Ass Culture of Inclusivity, and think it should be required reading for people in MBA programs and for anyone aspiring to be a good leader or an ally. What I find compelling about this book is […]
Welcome to Pride month! I consider myself cisgender and heterosexual. My adjectives are she/her/hers. This is information I don’t typically need to share because I have heterosexual privilege. I’m not proud of it; I didn’t ask for it; it just is. Heterosexuals can exist in daily life with ease, a reality that our society doesn’t […]
Black Lives Matter. It is clear that our society operates with the understanding “white lives matter.” As for blue lives, frankly, they don’t exist, as it is a uniform you can shed, unlike Black skin. In reality, both responses are a resistance to the affirmation that needs to be spoken out loud—especially by those with […]
I was having a conversation with a friend of mine about the struggle with diversity here in the United States. She asked me what I think the answer is, and I was temporarily stunned by the enormity of that question. Those who know me know that it takes a lot to render me speechless, but […]
In the field of diversity training, where I do a good bit of work, I’ve developed a self-evaluation component for people to consider. Your participation can help you determine what your typical modus operandi is when you encounter difference, disagreement and derision. (How do you like that alliteration?) Currently, the main elements of difference in […]
I know not all my followers will read this article. Whenever I write on diversity, I find I’m preaching to the choir because it’s only people who are interested in diversity who read. The people who really need to read this never will. I want to start by saying this: Having privilege doesn’t mean you […]
In our book, Leveraging Diversity at Work, Sylvester Baugh and I write about the dangers of stereotyping. The Buddhist parable about the six blind men and the elephant wonderfully illustrates these dangers. One day, six blind men traveled to a village to meet an elephant that had wandered in. After laying their hands on the […]
In the United States, members of the majority culture often have a difficult time understanding the importance of special recognition for minorities. For example, let’s consider Black History Month. February is the time of year when most schools will set time aside to discuss Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and maybe Harriett Tubman. […]
Understanding the current incidents of racism in our country has been a struggle. President Trump has become a beacon, shining a light on marginalized groups everywhere. Whether he is talking about women, Mexicans, Muslims, blacks, gays, or the handicapped, his words and actions make you question if he is simply careless, oblivious, or outright prejudiced. […]
Through my work, I’ve learned about the strength of our subconscious mind and how we underestimate its power. Our subconscious holds many beliefs and opinions that actively affect our behavior, and most people are completely unaware. I just finished taking the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT) available online at www.implicit.harvard.edu. I recommend you take it, […]
