ACR Convergence keynote: Diversity, equity and inclusion programs ‘not going away’
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WASHINGTON — Despite the heated “rhetoric” regarding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, the idea that predominantly white organizations are resentful of DEI programs is incorrect, according to the ACR Convergence 2024 keynote speaker.
“[DEI] is not going away, because it betters their communities,” Dwinita Mosby Tyler, PhD, founder and chief catalyst at the Equity Project, a consulting firm that specializes in diversity, equity and inclusion, told attendees. “Make sure you are not cowering to the rhetoric around DEI.”
According to Tyler, being an ally for diversity, equity and inclusion is “construction work,” in that it requires active rather than passive participation.
“To ally is a verb,” she said. “To ally is an action. What we have seen historically is a lot of allyship that is passive.”
Tyler discussed the fundamentals of how equity and allyship play out in the real-world scenarios of systems and organizations.
“Allyship is the relationship between systems and people, and people and systems,” she said. “This one is construction work.”
It is necessary to act when faced with injustice, according to Tyler.
“You do not just talk about it, you research and you do something about it,” she said. “An active ally is someone who witnesses injustice and responds to it. Once you name it, you do something.”
For those hoping to adopt DEI programs in their own organizations, Tyler suggested a “learn it, live it, lead it” approach.
Learning involves understanding the values, beliefs, feelings and emotions of DEI. The “live it” component refers to changing behaviors like communications, approaches, norms and cultural adeptness, along with processes and practices, within an organization. Leading is the “construction work” of adopting strategies and tactics, policy changes, budgets, guidelines and structures that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
However, before these approaches can be adopted, basic communication is necessary.
“One of the toughest things about allyship is that we have gotten ourselves in a pickle globally, where we do not even know how to talk to each other anymore,” Tyler said. “Improving mental models will drive how we hear, perceive, and engage in conversation.”
If there is a basic tenet about allyship, it is to prevent anyone within any given system or organization from feeling like an outsider, she added.
“You want to do all that you can possibly do to eliminate outsider-ness,” Tyler said. “You do not want anyone to feel like an outsider about anything.”
According to Tyler, diversity does not necessarily pertain to anyone from any particular racial or ethnic background.
“Diversity is about the richness and the beauty and the differences in all of us,” she said.
However, Tyler cautioned that none of this will come easy.
“Equity work takes bravery,” she said. “Equity work takes love and caring.”
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Tyler DM. Keynote Address. Presented at: ACR Convergence 2024; Nov. 14-19, 2024; Washington, D.C.
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