A Work In Progress: My Diversity Statement

My wife and I have an adult son with autism, and several relatives who identify as LGBTQIA+. 

We strongly believe in inclusion, providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. Our experiences have made us fierce advocates for equity, inclusion, diversity and justice. 

Diversity As A Strategy

Arizona State University faculty members Pardis Mahdavi and Scott Brooks, authors of the article “Diversity statements: what to avoid and what to include ,” have provided the framework for the following. I have elaborated on their ideas, and added my own experience.

Mahdavi and Brooks state: “Creating a plan, rather than simply doing an action, moves people beyond reacting and shows an understanding of intersectionality and the matrices of oppression.”

In other words, posting a diversity statement online is not enough. An occasional training session is not enough. Inclusion must be an overlay used to examine strategy, budget, content, governance and employment.

Recognizing Or Underscoring Invisible Labor

An empowering culture is the route to organizational success.

Beyond DEI initiatives, a healthy corporate culture with multifaceted supports is much more important than people realize. Professionals and knowledge workers are starting to realize that life is too short to spend it working for an organization with a corporate culture rife with issues. 

Addressing Structural Challenges

Because of our son’s autism, my goal is to educate individuals and institutions about exclusionary policies and practices. 

I volunteered as a Board Member and two-term Board Chair for Stone Belt Arc in Bloomington, IN. This social service agency has an annual budget of approximately $20 million. Their mission is “We believe in the uniqueness, worth, and right to self-determination of every individual. Therefore, it is our mission, in partnership with the community, to prepare, empower, and support people with developmental disabilities and their families to participate fully in the life of the community.” I have narrated an audio version of the Stone Belt Employee Handbook, in order to make it accessible to those with visual impairments. I’ve even gone far from my comfort zone to enter a dancing competition similar to Dancing with The Stars to raise money for employee development initiatives. Perhaps it was my steadfast belief in the goal that helped me win. 

I have made the case for improved services for people with disabilities at the local, state, and national level.

In Indiana, my wife and I successfully advocated for adaptive physical education to meet the PE requirement for a high school diploma.

I have rewritten employee handbooks to eliminate discrimination against people of color.

I have sought out professional groups for people of color to improve the recruitment and retention of new employees.

I have commissioned animators of color and designers with intellectual disabilities to work on projects. 

I have tracked the age, gender, ethnicity and expertise of Board Members to ensure true representation of the communities we serve.

The Power Of “A+”

The "A" in LGBTQIA+ can also refer to the term "ally," which is used to define someone who "confronts heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, heterosexual, and genderstraight privilege in themselves and others," according to the University of Illinois. 

The "+" in LGBTQIA+ is used to symbolize and explain a number of different gender identities and sexual orientations that are not already present in the term. The "+" can also refer to anything and everything a person wants it to — and it leaves room for the LGBTQIA+ community to expand.

The idea that a community or organization is always changing and growing runs contrary to the concept of privilege.

Demonstrating Enlightened Mentoring

Earlier I mentioned equity, inclusion, diversity and justice, the framework some call JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion). 

The JEDI framework is about more than one or two actions, and goes beyond a checklist. In order to sustain systemic change, I pledge to mentor colleagues in ways that have longer-term impacts and that mitigate exclusion and discriminatory practices.