As another Black History Month draws to a close, it’s worth reflecting on the purpose of this annual celebration.  Yes, the commemoration of Black pioneers like Frederick Douglass or Maya Angelou is important. But it’s also necessary to ask: what actions are truly being taken to honor their legacies?  It’s a question that resonates in the equity space as well. When companies commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion, how willing are they to go beyond cultural celebrations and take real action on their commitments? During my time as a director of DEI, I witnessed first-hand the chal ..read more

Appeasement never works: it's an old lesson from the history books, and it rings just as true in today’s culture wars.  Look no further than last month, when Scholastic, the publishing and distribution company known for its school book fairs, attempted to please all sides. The company revealed it had created a collection of diverse book titles for its fairs. So far so good. Then came the kicker: schools could choose whether or not to include them.   The announcement shocked librarians and educators across the country. At a time when the American Library Association recorded 695 ..read more

This recent study shows some pretty dramatic benefits to the overall economy in pursuing an equity agenda—to the tune of nearly $26 trillion over the 30 years analyzed! We should all know by now that the unemployment and educational attainment gaps, particularly between Blacks and Hispanics and their white counterparts, are the biggest culprits. So, it is perhaps understandable why it’s hard for the average employer to wrap their heads around how to solve those big structural impediments to equity. But one easy fix this report points out is well within the grasp of every employer: education u ..read more

All across the country, city and county governments are declaring racism a “public health crisis.” This is a highly accurate statement given the disparities in quality medical care, life outcomes, and overall well-being for Black people compared to white people. There’s also the aspect of the continued proliferation of police shootings and killings of Black people, many of whom posed no threat while white mass murderers are treated to Burger King or gently handled once in police custody. Indeed, racism is a public health crisis. The difficulty facing organizations (including many of our clien ..read more

The history of football in the United States is as much a story of what’s taken place on the field as it is of American history itself. A historical look at the role of Black athletes and HBCUs in the sport, specifically through the lens of the NFL Draft, provides us with many rich stories about the development of football as we currently know it as well as the larger American society it operates within. Since the early part of the 19th century, football drafts have been the primary connector between the sport’s amateur, collegiate training ground and the system of professional leagues and fr ..read more

It's undeniable that since the murder of George Floyd, America has seen an uptick in governmental introspection aimed at improving inequitable outcomes for Black/Indigenous/People of Color (BIPOC) and other historically disadvantaged stakeholders. For the state and local clients we’ve been working with, who are starting their Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) journey through assessments or strategic planning, the most common problem they face is the challenge of sustaining these efforts over time. In our experience, the difference between the success and failure of equity an ..read more

[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text]The past few years have ushered in a new wave of organizational introspection related to antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI). It’s long overdue, and I’m glad to see it, but the prospect of achieving real and meaningful change in outcomes from the many equity audits, trainings and DEI plans currently underway is by no means a safe bet.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="5739" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1647459558057{border-radius: 1 ..read more

Many who know me know that, despite my rational self, I have been unable to break the codependent habits formed over a lifetime as a professional football fan.   I love the game in spite of the NFL’s toxic masculinity that enables sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. In spite of decades of turning potentially great Black quarterbacks into wide receivers. In spite of the reluctance to protect and care for the minds and bodies of the players whose talents have catapulted the NFL to being the multi-billion dollar, TV-revenue juggernaut that it is today. And in spite of the league ..read more

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