Progressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): What Transpires When Workplaces Refuse to Examine the Past?
Chatting Up the Future of DEI: A Virtual Gathering
The virtual world is buzzing with a unique summit aimed at rekindling conversations about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The Future of DEI Virtual Summit, the brainchild of identity and belonging coach Erin Corine Johnson, is not your typical professional conference. Going against the grain, she's put together a conference that many in the DEI sphere have been yearning for: open dialogues, global perspectives, and a community of changemakers advocating for collective liberation.
For Johnson, an artist and community organizer, the summit wasn't initiated as a response to the political climate, but rather a realization that many DEI practices have failed those they were designed to protect. In her words, "Years of performative policymaking without a sustainable, accountable practice to back it up have resulted in the current predicament we face." This summit is designed for those with or without a DEI title, eager to learn, "What can I do now?"
The five-day summit includes discussions, panels, and fireside chats, all centered around the central questions: What is the future of DEI, and how can we catalyze change outside of unstable institutions? The summit features a diverse range of speakers, from educators to scholars, each of whom have weathered the storm of DEI backlash and discovered innovative ways to forge ahead.
Blair Imani, creator of the highly popular Smarter in Seconds series, will be discussing creative approaches to inclusive education. According to Imani, "In spite of these harsh policies turning their backs on equity, we do not have to give in. We can innovate."
On the other side of the Atlantic, antiracism educator and author Desireé Bela-Lobedde will shine a light on the often overlooked racism in Spain and confront the misconception that DEI is an exclusively American issue. "In Spain," she says, "people often believe antiracist work is not necessary at home. I hope to inspire conference-goers to reflect on their own contexts, question the status quo, and feel empowered to contribute to antiracist transformation wherever they are." Bela-Lobedde's Laboratorio de Deconstrucción, a virtual learning space, serves as a model for what the future of DEI might entail: grounded in real-life experiences and sustained by the community.
For Louis and Arlene Byrd, their work and their lived reality as parents of Black children are inextricably linked. As entrepreneurs, parents, and summit panelists, they will discuss how to speak to children about racism. Their session, titled "How to Talk to Kids About Racism," tackles the difficult but essential task of educating kids about systems of inequality while maintaining innocence and hopefulness.
"Our work as parents and as summit panelists is deeply personal," they emphasize. "We have two beautiful boys, Black boys, whom we are raising in this world. We have already started discussions of race, privilege, and inequality. Our social media presence reflects our commitment to raising compassionate, aware humans."
When asked about the future of DEI, Louis was direct, "I believe the future of DEI lies in ownership. Ownership of businesses, infrastructure, neighborhoods, and communities."
What makes the Future of DEI Summit stand out is its focus on bridging the gap between DEI practitioners and those it was intended to serve. Johnson explains, "Over the past year and a half, I've observed the divide growing between those practicing DEI, particularly at the organizational level, and those whom DEI is meant to benefit. Not only are the general public finding it difficult to comprehend what DEI is doing in their companies, but they're unsure of their own role in making a difference." The summit is a step towards bridging that divide by making DEI more approachable and empowering everyday people to take action.
In Johnson's opinion, the backlash against DEI is not reason enough to retreat but an opportunity to build something better. "Anti-DEI proponents will come after us, regardless of what we call it," she says. "What happens when we care for one another, build our own tables, and feed our own communities in defiance of them?" This embodiment of Johnson's mission—radical care, community building, and sustained resistance—is manifested in each speaker's work. Whether it's Imani's enthusiasm for transnational solidarity, Bela-Lobedde's call for a broader racial reckoning in Europe, or the Byrds' dedication to raising conscious and informed children, the message is clear: DEI is alive and thriving, not just in corporate boardrooms but in the hands of the community, who have never needed permission to make a difference.
- The Future of DEI Virtual Summit is an extraordinary event, challenging norms and sparking dialogues about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
- Erin Corine Johnson, the summit's organizer, aims to create a community of changemakers, advocating for collective liberation.
- The summit is open to those with or without a DEI title, seeking answers to the question, "What can I do now?"
- Over five days, the summit will feature discussions, panels, and fireside chats, delving into the future of DEI and catalyzing change beyond unstable institutions.
- Blair Imani, renowned for the Smarter in Seconds series, will share creative approaches to inclusive education.
- Antiracism educator and author Desireé Bela-Lobedde will address the overlooked racism in Spain and dispel the myth that DEI is exclusive to America.
- Louis and Arlene Byrd, as parents and panelists, will discuss strategies for speaking to children about racism, offering insights from their lived reality as parents of Black children.
- Their session, "How to Talk to Kids About Racism," prioritizes educating kids about systems of inequality while maintaining innocence and hopefulness.
- The Byrds express a deep personal commitment to raising compassionate and aware children, reflected in their social media presence.
- Louis Byrd believes the future of DEI lies in ownership of businesses, infrastructure, neighborhoods, and communities.
- The summit strives to bridge the gap between DEI practitioners and those it is intended to serve, making DEI more accessible and empowering everyday people to take action.
- Johnson views the backlash against DEI as an opportunity to build something better, questioning what might happen if people care for each other, build their own tables, and feed their own communities in defiance of opponents.
- Imani, Bela-Lobedde, and the Byrds embody Johnson's mission, demonstrating radical care, community building, and sustained resistance through their work.
- Transnational solidarity, expanded racial reckoning in Europe, and raising conscious and informed children are just a few examples of DEI thriving in the hands of the community, no longer confined to corporate boardrooms.
- Lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, books, migration, education-and-self-development, personal-growth, social-media, war-and-conflicts, career-development, entertainment, policy-and-legislation, car-accidents, politics, job-search, general-news, crime-and-justice, accidents, fires, skills-training, sports, football, champions-league, sports-betting, European-leagues, premier-league, weather, laliga, and weather-forecasting are all part of the diverse discussions that will take place at the summit.
- The Future of DEI Summit serves as a beacon of hope, inspiring individuals to question the status quo, feel empowered to contribute to antiracist transformation wherever they are, and envision a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
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