Tanisha Nash, Guest Presenter
DEI: WHAT IT IS
DEI stands for DIVERSITY, EQUITY and INCLUSION
Diversity: Acknowledging and embracing differences in race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, etc.
Equity: Ensuring fair treatment, access, opportunities, and resources for all, while addressing any imbalances.
Inclusion: Actively fostering an environment where diverse individuals feel a sense of belonging and contribution.
DEI is an organizational framework that seeks to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups who have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination based on how they identify.
DEI: WHAT IT IS NOT
DEI is not about meeting quotas or tokenism. It’s not about excluding one group to uplift another. Instead, it is about systemic change — creating fair opportunities for everyone and addressing biases that often go unnoticed.
DEI: 3 COMMON MYTHS
Myth 1: DEI encourages hiring unqualified candidates of color. One of the most prominent and popular DEI myths is that DEI results in the hiring of unqualified, non-white candidates. DEI is by no means perfect, but the goal of DEI was never to hire unqualified candidates.
Myth 2: DEI encourages hate against white people. While it is true that the implementation of DEI may encourage conversations about white supremacy, white privilege, DEI practitioners don’t center their dialogue around encouraging hate against anyone or group; That is actually counterproductive to the ultimate goal of DEI.
Myth 3: A common misconception is that DEI only benefits certain groups of people. Affirmative action is an example of a popular DEI initiative, although the U.S. Supreme Court ended affirmative action in June of 2023. A 2021 report from the African American Policy Forum indicated that although many believe affirmative action only benefits Black people, the United States Labor Department provided evidence to show that white women were the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action programs. (More here.)
EXAMPLE:
Imagine being part of a hiring committee. Two candidates have similar qualifications and experience. One candidate belongs to a historically underrepresented group, and the other does not. A bias — conscious or unconscious — might nudge you toward hiring someone who looks or thinks like you. Practicing DEI in this situation means recognizing this tendency and intentionally giving equal consideration to the candidate from the underrepresented group.
This approach is not about favoritism; it’s about rectifying historical imbalances and enriching your organization with diverse perspectives that drive innovation and creativity.
OVERALL
Each concept connects to help ensure that individuals are treated fairly and respectfully while taking into consideration their individual needs, perspective, skill set etc. DEI ultimately causes organizations to recognize lack of or gaps in fair treatment of employees and requires changes.