Unseen Burdens: How Inauthentic DEI Impacts Black Staff

Episode Description

In this episode of the "Not 4 Prophet Podcast," hosts Trenia Parham and David DeVaughn, both seasoned nonprofit professionals and Black leaders, discuss the topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in organizations. They explore how inauthentic DEI efforts impact Black staff and Black leadership within the nonprofit sector.

The hosts emphasize that DEI initiatives should not be limited to one-off training sessions, as these often end up being merely "checking the box" exercises. Instead, they advocate for incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of an organization's operations. This includes considerations in compensation, hiring, retaining staff, board diversity, donor engagement, and evaluative measures. Inauthentic DEI efforts that stop at training and fail to address systemic issues can lead to gaslighting and feelings of frustration among Black staff.

The hosts highlight that DEI is not just a responsibility for marginalized staff but should be an organizational priority. They stress the importance of action, such as addressing pay equity, promoting diversity in leadership positions, and creating rubrics and metrics to ensure equitable practices. The episode also raises concerns about the effectiveness of some DEI trainers who may be recommended because they maintain the status quo rather than challenge systemic issues.

Trenia and David conclude that real effective DEI strategies involve organizations embracing equity and inclusion as an integral part of their strategic planning. It should not be seen as an add-on but a continuous effort to create systemic change and challenge institutional dynamics around race, class, and gender. Ultimately, they encourage leaders to act on the information they already have and assess the impact of their initiatives by dis-aggregating data based on race identity to ensure equity is achieved. The hosts welcome stories, recommendations, and best practices from listeners who have seen positive changes in their organizations' DEI efforts.

For more insights and discussions on navigating the nonprofit space as Black professionals, tune in to the "Not 4 Prophet Podcast" and gain valuable insights from seasoned industry experts.

 

Listen now and learn:

•       Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts should go beyond one-off training sessions and be incorporated into every aspect of the organization's operations, including hiring, retention, compensation, board representation, and community engagement.
•       Inauthentic DEI initiatives, which focus on surface-level changes and check-the-box approaches, can lead to gaslighting and frustration among Black staff and leaders, making them feel worse off.
•       DEI efforts should not be solely placed on marginalized individuals or employee resource groups. It is the responsibility of the entire organization, including leadership, to drive change and dismantle systemic inequities.
•       DEI initiatives should focus on organizational change, examining the systems and processes that contribute to inequitable outcomes, rather than just individual behavior change through training.
•       Organizations should act based on the information they already have, such as employee surveys and Glassdoor reviews, to address pay equity, promotions, and systemic biases that disproportionately affect Black staff and other marginalized communities. Additionally, DEI strategies should dis-aggregate data to identify patterns of inequities based on race identity and other characteristics.

 

In This Episode

04:15 What is the heart of the problem with DEI?

08:58 How to be sensitive when working with marginalized people.

16:46 Leadership needs to get uncomfortable.

20:34 What does it mean for DEI to be effective?

30:09 The real work of DEI.

 

Episode Links:

TreniaParham.com

 StrivEquity Consulting LLC