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Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Racial Equity

February 23, 2022 @ 13:00 - 15:00 CET
Free
Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Racial Equity

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.

This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Racial Equity

“Racial equity is about applying justice and a little bit of common sense to a system that’s been out of balance. When a system is out of balance, people of color feel the impacts most acutely, but to be clear, an imbalanced system makes all of us pay.”~ Glenn Harris, President, Race Forward and Publisher, Colorlines
Equity. It has been a big topic for us since the start of Diversify, and the beginning of the Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace discussions, with the topic of our second meeting being “Equity vs. Equality“.
Equity is the acknowledgment that while people should always have equal opportunities to resources like jobs, health care and education, we live in a world that is far from equal. Social equity takes into account systemic inequalities to ensure everyone has access to the same opportunities and outcomes.
Racial Equity is the acknowledgment that in many cases, this unequal distribution of resources is driven along racial lines, leading to the systemic discrimination that exists within many structures, including the workplace.
Racism is often an uncomfortable topic to address. In some cases, denial or ignorance is seemingly bliss. Many people deny the existence of racism against people of color on the assumption that racism is a conscious and calculated byproduct of hate. Racism can however  occur without conscious intent. Where racist experiences of people across racial lines are concerned, racism happens more often than many people, especially white people, are aware of. How then can companies address the issue of racism as they move towards racial equity in the workplace?
This month we ask the questions:
  • What have recent surges in anti-Black racism and Asian-hate shown us about the situation today?
  • What is the relationship between racism, micro-aggressions and gaslighting and how do they show up?
  • What is the difference between subtle and overt racism?
  • Do we have the skills to talk about racial, bi-racial and intersectional identities?
  • What degree of race confidence do we need to be able to navigate this topic without causing harm?
  • How and when can bystanders intervene in harmful scenarios?
Join us to explore these questions and many more.
This topic acknowledge Black History Month and LGBTQIA+ Month, celebrated in February in the US and UK.

 

In the meantime…
This event is FREE to attend. Please register below to receive the zoom link.

Chi Lee (they/them/theirs)

Chi is a practicing artist with over two decades of design/build experience, working with global retail companies such as Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren, Reed Krakoff, Tommy Hilfiger, and others. They are currently the resident carpenter of the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York, focused on curating more accessible and inclusive experiences with art and culture through the built environment. Presently, Chi is completing their Masters Degree in Museum Studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Chisom Udeze (she/her)

Chisom is an Economist, Organizational Design and DEI Strategist, and a 3 times founder with over 12 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations and ExxonMobil. Chisom has an analytical mind and works to interrogate the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s resources, production, distribution and output. She is adept at efficiently and effectively unlocking complex systems, data management, forecasting economic and social trends, and thrives in uncertain environments.

As the founder of Diversify, Chisom works with companies, governments and civil society to facilitate measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In 2020, mid-pandemic, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women-led companies and mothers. She is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness.

Vanessa Akpore (she/hers)

Vanessa Akpore is based in California and is an Operations Program Manager within the Aerospace and defence industry. Her previous experience includes Industrial Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Drug-Making, Lean/Six Sigma, Finance, and Construction. Vanessa holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently pursuing her MBA at Johns Hopkins University.

In her quest to inspire and uplift the next generation, Vanessa volunteers her time to Engineers Without Borders, Society of Women Engineers, and the National Society of Black Engineers. Through these organizations she has led professional development workshops, provided consultation on humanitarian projects, and mentored new engineers and project managers.

Christin Anderson (she/hers)

Christin is the communications and concept development advisor at Papillon in Bergen.

There she is the project leader for Diversity in Action, an initiative for businesses, organizations, teams and individuals who are ready to dismantle barriers to inclusion and lead change and innovation in their industries.

Currently her focus is on the development and launch of a unique leadership program that examines traditional concepts of leadership development through an intersectional lens, centering the experiences, strengths and barriers to leadership unique to women with cross cultural backgrounds in Norway.

Moderator:

Zuzana Warden

Zuzana has a professional background in social work, international development cooperation and project management. Her experience from working with marginalized groups stretches across a number of countries. Besides volunteering with various groups such as homeless people and marginalized members of the Roma minority, she coordinated inclusive empowerment projects aiming to support women and persons with disabilities from rural and slum areas via training in entrepreneurship and vocational skills. As a Project and Research Manager at Diversify she continues to broaden her expertise within organizational work and operation, with high focus on monitoring and evaluation and project management.

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