Or are DEI professionals? I've been lowkey doing it at my work simply because there aren't many of us there and I am probably the most senior one who is there.

You know one thing I keep running into from the old school folks in management is that they have this fear that if you do this one event for this group, then the other groups are going to be mad and they use it as an excuse not to do anything. Like if you celebrate Asian History Month, you are going to get an outcry for not doing disabiliy workers month. Meanwhile no one has complained about anything and people are just happy for the company to be acknowledging DEI stuff.

ever run into this? Folks really seem to get most of their POV on diversity and race issues from Fox News and its scary.

what have you run into? Wanted to hear war stories.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

and the Black Employee Network is one of them. We also have BRGs for women, Pride @ Work, Latino employees, Asian employees, veterans, Volunteer Network (handles fundraising events with charities in local areas), Early Career Network (for younger employees just out of college) among others. We’re a global company, so there are several branches for each of the groups.

All of the groups are inclusive of people outside of the target demographic. We also do a TON of cross collaboration, for example if Pride @ Work is having a fundraising event they’ll get volunteers from allies across the other groups. We’ve had these for 10-15 years. Every now and then will get a question like “why isn’t there a … group?” and the response is “start one”…that’s as far as it ever goes.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

______________________________________________________________________________

"To Each His Reach"

but.....

Fuck aliens.

I'm the EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) Director at a small gov't agency.

Most of my 20+ year experience is in complaints and compliance, but Diversity is getting a big push from the Biden administration (as it should)

Technically, they want to appoint separate DEI Officers in federal agencies, but until then, EEO Directors and Managers like me are doing the work (and traditionally, the EEO office does that work anyway)

I'm currently trying to move the diversity work forward by getting buy-in from the employees as well as leadership.

For instance:

The monthly diversity observances were dormant at my agency before I got there. My first year there, I didn't worry about it cause there wasn't much demand and I had a host of compliance issues to tackle.

Now everyone wants observances and proclamations. When we announced the Hispanic Heritage Month, I got an email from an employee that said "what about African American Heritage Month? What about Women?"

Sure enough, I checked the sign up survey we circulated agency-wide this past summer for people to sign up for affinity groups for the different monthly observances. Do you think that person's name was on it? NOPE.

So my solution is to gauge interest and get the employees and managers to take ownership of what I call the "party planning" aspects of these observances. But if there is no interest, there's no interest. I approached the aforementioned employee to volunteer to help with the programs when the monthly programs come up, but I haven't heard from them.

Just make a case to leadership for diversity (it's good business, there's hidden talent, it's good for morale, your company can check the diversity box if that's all they want to do, good pr etc.) but make sure they give you the support and resources you need.

If you got any other questions, just get at me homey.
______________________________________________________________________________

"To Each His Reach"

but.....

Fuck aliens.