Tag Archives: #DEIA

Protecting College Students From Hate: New York State Version

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Cut the Confusion

       Employers, and the rest of us, are understandably confused these days about what the rules are, how to enforce them, and how to carry on and stay calm. There are those who ascribe to the belief that chaos is necessary to create a new and better society. I am not one of them. One day we are told that any reference to DEIA is forbidden. The next day academic institutions are being charged with violating Federal law by allowing antisemitism to take place unchecked. The alleged rules shift again and again and again. The result: no one knows what to do or not to do. Well, almost no one.

       There are several states that are currently shoring up their legislation to assure that people, especially students, are protected under state law, as Federal protections are not being enforced which, despite any statements or conduct in contradiction to this, are still in effect.  

The Laws

       Here are some simple definitions of Federal statutes relating to discrimination in higher education and related links for more information.

       Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination by recipients of Federal funds.

       Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination by employers of more than 15 people on the basis of a protected class and establishes the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to prevent any person from engaging in any unlawful employment practice.

       Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

       Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability by any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

       Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (The ADA) prohibits state and local governments from discriminating on the basis of disability. The U.S. Department of Education enforces Title II in public colleges, universities, and graduate and professional schools.

State’s Rights

An imge of the US Constitution

Amendment X (1791) to the United States Constitution [the ‘States’ Rights amendment]

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

       The way that I explain jurisdictional protections against discrimination is with a pyramid. The Federal Government is at the top of the pyramid, the State is below that, local government comes next, and organizational policy is at the base.

A pyramid with multi-colored segments labeled from top to bottom: Federal Laws, State Laws, Local Laws, Organizational Policies

       Everyone in the United States is required to comply with Federal laws. The laws established at the State level may provide additional protections which do not violate Federal laws. Cities may provide even more protections then exist at the State level, again, as long as those laws do not violate State or Federal laws. Organizations may establish policies that go beyond the laws as long as they do not violate them. For example, a policy granting two weeks of paid vacation is above and beyond legal requirements for leave. (Employment policies covering union members are agreed upon through the collective bargaining process. Policies for public employees (local, State or Federal) will necessarily abide by the policies established within the governing jurisdiction.

New and Improved

       On August 26, Governor Kathy Hochul of the State of New York signed the Stavisky/Rozic Bill (NY State Assembly Bill 2025-A5448B) requiring all colleges and universities in the State of New York[i] to

       have a designated Title VI coordinator (who is to be trained) responsible for addressing allegations of discrimination
       conduct education for employees and students on an annual basis

       This is a reinforcement of existing statutes which specifically provides both the commitment (designated staffing) and the accountability (training) needed to protect students from discrimination and hate crimes at the State level. The New York State Division of Human Rights protects students from discrimination based on specific characteristics known as protected classes and has oversight for this law. 

       The bill does not provide details regarding the methodology for the Title VI Coordinators’ training or the education to be administered to students and employees, nor does it specify any requirements for those who conduct that training. This is an opportunity and a challenge. The critics of all things DEIA have used examples of those who may be passionate about preventing discrimination and hate crimes but may not have enough practice doing so to destroy confidence in this field of work.

       There is a huge difference between effective training and informational webinars. I am a strong advocate for the former. The subject of hate crimes and discrimination are fraught and require a deft and deeply experienced approach if they are to be effectively addressed. I urge the State of New York to carefully research and implement effective educational methodology and to include requirements for who is qualified to conduct this training.

       A good example of this is the State of California which includes requirements for both training and trainers as part of their sexual harassment prevention law.[ii] I would add that Title VI Coordinators be required to have a background in antidiscrimination policy implementation, investigation of complaints, and education and outreach. The law goes into effect on August 26, 2026 so there is time to create policy, protocols and procedures for best practices and accountability.

       This is an opportunity to create change, protect students and employees from discrimination and hate crimes, repair an incredible chasm of distrust and solidify New York State’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and access.

Practitioner

       Working in the public sector, Title VI was an important part of that work as we were responsible to protect employees and members of the public from being subjected to hate crimes, as well as employees from members of the public committing hate crimes. For example, if a passenger on the Staten Island Ferry is discriminated against (based on a protected class status such as race, ethnicity, religion, etc.) they have the right to file a Title VI complaint with the City of New York. If the same passenger sexually harasses an employee working on that ferry, the employee and the City have the right to sue the passenger for violation Title VI. The State of New York (and several others) reinforce the Federal Statutes by enacting laws that echo them as does the City of New York. So, violators are subject to Federal, State and City laws.

       I was a core member of multiple teams responsible for developing and implementing policies on Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504 and the ADA for the City of New York. I have also developed policies and protocols for various individual governmental agencies outside of NYC and have trained thousands of employees and practitioners on these subjects.  

       Having consulted with multiple academic institutions on matters under the aegis of both Title VII and Title IX, I am fully aware of the specific nuances and complexities of each when trying to establish real accountability and measurable change. Navigating the convergence of the various groups involved: tenured faculty, union members, student unions, parents, community organizations and governmental leaders can be precarious, to say the least.  I also understand the interdependence of elected and appointed officials and those charged with leading independent organizations when it comes to protecting all people from abuses based on their protected class status.

       I salute Governor Hochul’s commitment to protect the people of the state of New York and gladly offer my services to assist in this endeavor as one uniquely suited to do so.

       Onward!

       Wendy Amengual Wark

September 9, 2025

[i] defined as a college or university chartered by the regents or incorporated by special act of the legislature that maintains a campus in New York state

[ii] https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2019/10/AttachF-EmployRegHarassmentPreventionTraining.pdf

Wendy@InclusionStrategy.com

 

Perfection: A Barrier to Success

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Perfectionist

I have been called the “P” word more than once. I am not necessarily proud of this. I have striven to attain perfection more than once in my life. I am not necessarily ashamed of this, either.

Maria Muldaur singing “I’m a Woman,” or Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” were clarion calls for many of us in the 1970s. Unfortunately, the message that I and millions of other young women (and teens) received was that we should strive to be Wonder Women and do it all. Well, I cannot and do not know anyone who can—nor should do it all.

It is neither productive nor realistic to consider myself to be perfect nor is it productive or realistic for me to expect that you are either. This realization diminishes some of the pressure that I know I have put upon myself and others (I confess to being a bit judgmental), sometimes to the detriment of being successful.

An avatar of me as a superhero with my cat, Felix, on my favorite beach

Me as a superhero with my cat, Felix, on my favorite beach

We love putting idols on pedestals. People in general want heroes and sheroes to cheer on. That’s great until those humans do what humans do and let us down. The pendulum swings and we feel that we have been hoodwinked because sometimes we have.

Fake It ‘til You Make It

One result of the Wonder Woman message was a huge number of people (regardless of gender) pretending to be doing it all or pretending to know what they were doing, when in reality, they could not and did not. Many organizations promoted employees who were considered ‘diverse’ (women, members of the LBGTQi community, Black, Indigenous and other People of Color, people with disabilities) into DEIA roles. Those individuals often were deeply passionate about inclusion and equity (as am I), but they were often set up for failure as they lacked the skills and competencies to successfully develop and implement strategies and policies intended to result in sustainable organizational change since they were not experienced DEIA practitioners. In multiple organizations they also lacked the critical key ingredient for success: the will of executive leadership. I have engaged with several organizations where the members of the C-Suite delegated their DEIA initiatives to staff members without giving them the authority needed to implement real change. (This means having the power to hold people—high ranking individuals—accountable and having fiscal control over the initiatives necessary to secure actual change (internal education and other programs). Making donations to nonprofits or academic institutions that support BIPOC individuals does not create organizational cultural change. In many cases just enough money is invested to keep the DEIA office open, but not enough to result in real change.

Paralysis

When I obsess on perfection, I become paralyzed, unable to proceed past a phrase or word that is less than perfect. And so it often is with organizational change. Those in a position to make decisions become overwhelmed by an endless stream of details, ‘urgent matters’* and meetings. (Every organization has too many meetings!) So, progress grinds to a halt. The easy path is often taken which means dusting off the same old training content (maybe updating it slightly), and forcing people to spend two or three hours reviewing the same information without sufficient time to actually have a meaningful conversation or to address the barriers that keep more organizations than I can count from really succeeding because they are not really inclusive or equitable or diverse. I continue to assert the fact that organizations must be those things in order to be sustainably successful.

So, organizations go part way down a path leading to the opportunity to really face their demons and purge them and then they stop and maybe take a few steps backward and a few more forward without ever completing the full journey only to complain about not getting where they need to be.

Progress

Moving forward requires movement, change, progress. This seems unbelievably simple and yet, here we are in stasis. We (I) intend to do good works and am stopped in my tracks by so many overwhelming bad acts. I want to solve so many problems that I cannot solve any problems. When I was conducting investigations of discrimination for the City of New York we were inundated with EEO complaints. I needed to focus and to conduct one interview at a time, read one document at a time, and review every piece of evidence, one at a time—regardless of how quickly I wanted to solve the problem (end the discriminatory conduct and hold responsible parties accountable for violating the policy and law). I had to take each step one at a time in order to make progress.

This can be frustrating and boring and tiring and annoying, but it is still necessary. Well, it is necessary if we truly want to end the discriminatory conduct and hold the people who are discriminating accountable. That takes persistence and bravery. I have quit jobs, fired clients and walked away from potential opportunities for this reason more than once in my career. It is also important to share that I can collaborate with a client on developing an exquisite strategic plan, but I cannot implement it for them. I can coach a client on giving constructive feedback and on managing team members who lack the skill or worse, the will to do what the organization needs them to do, but I cannot have those conversations or implement employee actions for them.

image showing a magic wand and magician's hat with the words "Magic Show" across the top

I have asked people what they would do (how would they solve their current problem) if they had a magic wand. I do not intend to ask that question anymore. I think that I need to ask you, “What are you willing to do the solve your problem?” The magic wand scenario doesn’t consider the work needed to solve the problem; it just allows us to visualize our desired result. The second question is much more realistic and gives us a way to measure our progress against our goals.

Two other questions that I ask that I believe may be helpful to address our current state:

Why would I strive to accomplish something without a guarantee of success?

What is the hardest thing that you have overcome?

I believe that these are realistic reflections when embarking on a mission that is challenging whether emotionally, intellectually, physically, or all three. In many cases, if we can anticipate that an endeavor will be challenging (such as applying to, getting accepted, and then attending and completing graduate school) we are not necessarily overwhelmed to the point of giving up when we actually have to do the work. This does not mean that we will not have extremely challenging periods of hard, overwhelming work, but that we can visualize the results of those efforts in a realistic way and dig into our resilience and persistence and carry on.

Inclusion—achieving actual inclusion—is not easy and never fully accomplished. So, when it is a goal for an organization, the leaders of that organization need to remind themselves and their team members of this fact. Inclusion is an evolutionary process. An ever-expanding, ever-changing goal. Inclusion requires each of us to face the fact that things we thought or said or did twenty years ago might make us cringe today. It does not mean that we get trapped or paralyzed by guilt (woulda, coulda, shoulda) or what ifs, but that we learn from experience, receiving new information, and interacting with others.

Onward!

My signature word is onward. The reason for this is that I am perpetually seeking to make progress. I hope to learn new things every day. I strive to grow my relationships into healthy, joyful, and productive collaborations (professionally and personally). I work to carry out my mission to make manifest the value of all people. None of this is possible if I am paralyzed by a need to be perfect. If I can accept this as a fact, I can move on. If I apply that knowledge to others as well as myself, I can coexist in a productive way, moving onward despite the many barriers that we all face daily.

Photo of Haiku Stairs Hawaii

Haʻikū Stairs, Hawaii

It is imperative when we are perfectly justified in feeling overwhelmed, depressed, angry, frustrated and disillusioned that we continue to move onward. We need to acknowledge the impact of external conditions of ourselves and our organizational cultures. What can we really control? I believe that we can control our decision to continue to move forward, even when it is painful, frightening, and exhausting. Each step forward is a declaration of our resilient love, an expression of persistent joy, and an act of strategic hope.

My focus is on helping leaders to strategically navigate the impact of external conditions on identity safety and collaboration, and how best to support employees and other strategic partners in constructive ways during challenging times.

I would love to hear from you and discuss how I can help you with your Inclusion Strategy®.

Onward!

August 27, 2025

FYI: Inclusion Strategy is not only the name of my company, I own the trademark to this expression having established first use of it decades ago.

* I may need to write a unique blog post on what we consider to be urgent versus what actually is urgent.

Wendy@InclusionStrategy.com

 

Defending DEIA: The Power of Evidence and Numbers

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“Costco is looking like the big winner after Target’s DEI rollback.”¹
“We make our decisions at Princeton based on our values and our principles.”²
“More Than 500 Law Firms Sign Onto Perkins Coie Amicus”³
“New York Public Schools Uphold DEI Policies Despite Federal Threats”4

These headlines provide evidence that standing up for diversity, equity, inclusion, and access works. That standing up for justice—especially against bullies—works, and that standing together works.

Evidence
I am an expert in diversity, equity, inclusion and access. I have been developing and facilitating workshops on these subjects for more than 30 years with the intent of helping people to understand that our perceptions and biases have a strong impact on our experiences. It has been imperative to use evidence to defend the work that I do throughout my career.

There is abundant data showing that employees who work in organizations that effectively and strategically incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion and access into their policies, protocols, and practices, are much happier than those who work in organizations where these concepts are not valued.5 More people apply for jobs at these organizations—more highly qualified people. Turnover is diminished, law suits are less common, and engagement and productivity are higher.6 

So, why are people saying that DEIA is bad and nobody likes it? Some people are saying that. There has been a steady stream of mis and disinformation about what DEIA is and what its outcomes are. This disinformation is repeated again and again in corporate media without validation. It is possible for those in power to get other people to agree with disinformation—think of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”7 

I have had the extraordinary opportunity to observe many dozens of people experience a transformation from believing that DEIA is useless, even—damaging, to embracing it. I attribute that to my commitment to creating a space where all are welcomed with empathy and respect. Of the more than 10,000 people who have participated in my workshops, less than 5% have expressed that their experience was negative.8 Whether in the private, public, academic or nonprofit sectors, this data is consistent.

Share the Good News!
I recommend showing and telling. Meaning, we need to share the ample evidence that being around diverse human beings is healthy for us as individuals, organizations, and communities; that being inclusive: collaborating with others in an interdependent way is incredibly efficient, effective, and makes us happier; that having equity means that we all have a right to the same protections and; that having accessibility does not just benefit those who have been historically excluded based on having a disability, but provides all of us the opportunity to collaborate with more people.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and access by any other name, is still what it is: Good for people, organizations, communities, and nations. I am encouraging all organizations that have benefited through their diversity, equitability, inclusivity, and accessibility to show and tell everyone! Use a bold homepage statement that includes data showing how great things are and share it on social media, via press releases and in employee town halls. Join Costco and other organizations that have increased their market share specifically because of their commitment to being diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible. Stand behind your principles like Princeton University and other academic institutions where applications for admission are going up instead of down. Defend your rights like Perkins Coie and other law firms and members of the legal community and increase your potential client share. The more organizations amplify the positive impact of DEIA on their missions, the clearer it will be that those who are abandoning these concepts are in the minority and never actually embraced them in the first place.

Power in Numbers
Individuals can be part of the solution by supporting those organizations that are standing up in several ways. Attorneys who believe in justice and the rule of law can join the firms that align with those values. Those who need legal guidance can seek out the firms who have signed the amicus brief. Professors and students can become part of academic institutions that are committed to freedom of speech and uncensored access to information and knowledge. Consumers can vote with their wallets by shopping at places that reflect their diversity.

There are many adages about hanging together, standing united, and having power in numbers. It is a concept that has not been this important since the Declaration of Independence was signed 249 years ago. A group of 56 delegates from all 13 American Colonies signed the Declaration citing evidence of disenfranchisement, violations of the rule of law, disintegration of the balance of powers, lack of due process, and other offenses. Signing that document was an act of Treason against the British Crown which carried a death penalty and a loss of all property which would leave the signers’ dependents destitute if they failed. The defenders of democracy prevailed and we have been able to enjoy the benefits of their sacrifice until now. Evidence and numbers work when used by people who are passionate about justice, equity, and the truth. Let’s use them again to defend our rights and each other.

Onward!

~ Wendy

April 14, 2025

Wendy Amengual Wark
Founder
Inclusion Strategy Solutions LLC
Wendy@InclusionStrategy.com
Inclusion Strategy Solutions

5  Page, Scott. The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies. Princeton. Princeton University Press. 2007.
8 We use anonymous surveys to determine participants’ perceptions of the experience and its potential impact on their job performance.

 

 

Just Say NO!

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Just Say NO!


     My personal mission is to make manifest the value of all people. What that means is to make it obvious that Black lives matter, that no human is illegal, and that all of us—regardless of our gender identity or expression—all of us—have the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” When Thomas Jefferson penned those words he certainly would not have agreed with my mission as his was a highly qualified and contradictory set of principles. That does not mean that we should disregard the inspirational words that fueled a monumental political shift. Nor does it mean that we should ascribe presentist notions to ancient interpretations of humanity and human rights. What it does mean is that as we evolve—biologically, intellectually, and spiritually, our ability to comprehend complex notions of relationships expands. Ideally, we evolve. In reality, members of various species evolved at different rates. (Not all fish began crawling up river banks as amphibians on the same day, for example.)

Interdependent Collaboration

     The cornerstone of my work is interdependent collaboration. A group of human beings agree that they are better off when every one of them contributes to the greater good. Further, those collaborations are better—more successful—when those groups are comprised of diverse people. People of diverse ages, races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and etc. Such collaborations cannot succeed if members of any sub-group have greater access to equality than the others. The rules of engagement must be based on equity for the group to experience sustained success. Oh, there are countless groups that have had success for a while without being even remotely equitable, but not for any extended period of time. The relational part of this concept is being inclusive. I love this word! I have been sharing for years how inclusion requires action; more than an invitation, it requires that I ask questions about your preferences and really listen to and value your perspective. This is not possible if someone believes that they are superior to any other member of the group. Perhaps one member of the group is excellent at math and another is excellent at writing and another is excellent at strategic planning. They can all contribute their unique skills, knowledge and talents to the success of the group, but no one is more valuable than anyone else. I insist that we also include access to this list. If the group is not accessible—physically and otherwise, it cannot be inclusive. Period.

Communicate!

     In order for interdependent collaboration to succeed, people need to communicate clearly, honestly, and openly. This is never easy. The primary barrier to being truly inclusive is the inability to effectively communicate. I have facilitated many hundreds of workshops on inclusive communication, supervision and management. What I have observed is that most people have never learned how to communicate successfully and effectively. All of the fracas about DEIA initiatives being ineffective in organizations, (Not to mention the vitriolic demonization of DEIA which has no basis in reality and intentionally distorts the meaning of these words and concepts.) stems from identifying organizations where DEIA initiatives were never effectively implemented in the first place. (I have been invited to come in and clean up messes in many organizations that had less than successful DEIA launches.) So, if the media focuses on the failures and those without extensive experience in this profession rant about how DEIA needs to be overhauled, I have to ask, “What are your sources?”
     I will not sit by silently while our world is destroyed by those who have figured out how to divide and conquer through controlling mass communication. The internet continues to offer us extraordinary benefits. It is also a very dangerous tool which has been used to manipulate and disenfranchise people by distorting, disrupting, destroying, and denying facts.
     Many friends and family members have been checking in to see how I am holding up in the midst of the overt assault on my profession. I am as disgusted, enraged, and demoralized as are most rational, compassionate human beings by the acts being perpetrated by a small group of people. But (there is no ‘yes, and’ here), I will not comply in advance. I will not be censored. I will not stop telling the truth and sharing history and information. I will just say ‘NO’ to anyone who suggests that I should tolerate racism, sexism, and any form of hate based on a person’s characteristics, affinities or the location of their birth. I will just say ‘NO’ to anyone who suggests that I pivot (although I am extremely pivotal) to another topic in my writing and work. I will just say ‘NO’ to those who are amplifying the lies and the hatred and the disinformation.

What Can You Do?

     We are at a crossroads. Federal employees are being put on administrative leave for having attended DEAI workshops, DEAI programs are being dismantled and people are being fired, organizations are deleting the DEIA pages and messaging from their websites. People are reaching out to and asking me how to respond to this. I recommend that you respond according to how your are directly impacted and to assess any potential risk that you might face as a result of your actions.
     A diverse coalition representing the nation’s leading academics and higher education officials, restaurant workers, and the City of Baltimore has filed a federal complaint to block anti-DEIA actions by the current Republican Administration.


     People are signing petitions, making telephone calls, visiting their Senators and Representatives at their offices, and participating in peaceful protests. Find the actions that are the most effective for you. I do recommend making those actions ‘stretch goals.’ Meaning that they require you to make some effort and perhaps move outside of your comfort zone. If you are uncomfortable with the current assault on human and civil rights then taking action to end those assaults will lessen your discomfort.
     I treasure our interdependent collaborations and will fight to keep our group diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible. I urge you to join me and stand up for the rights of others—for the rights of all of us—and just say ‘NO’ to the fascists who are working around the clock to strip us of our humanity, our dignity, and our rights.

What Do You Think?


     Please respond and let me know if you read this and what you think. Also, please share this message with others, if you agree with it, by reposting it on social media and forwarding this email. It is imperative that we control and drive our communication. If each of us promotes, amplifies, and disseminates messages of inclusion and love we will diminish the constant attention being given to lies and hate. Also, when faced with strategies designed to isolate us and make us feel that we are defenseless it is critical that we remain connected and express our love and support for one another. I would love to hear from you and to know how you are managing.
     You are not alone.
     Onward!
     ~ Wendy

Join me at BlueSky @wwilloww.bsky.social

 

 

What Can I do to Save DEIA?

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As the number of organizations gutting, shuttering, and micromanaging DEIA programs increases, many of us—experts, practitioners, employees, customers, students, members, et al—wonder what can we do to stop the dismantling of initiatives that protect rights, empower diversity, and encourage inclusion?
The overwhelming barrage of negative information and disinformation can result in people shutting down. It is entirely understandable to want to limit our exposure to painful, hateful words (actions). But, there are many ways to refute and resist lies and hate speech and doing so feels much better than stewing in silence!
On July 29, 1992 when I was the E.E.O. Director for the City of New York’s Department of Transportation, Ray Kerrison, a reporter for the New York Post, wrote an article attacking our establishment of an affinity group for LGBTQi employees, entitled, “City has $$ for gays, not potholes.” We had enough money for filling potholes and for E.E.O. initiatives including providing antidiscrimination education that created an inclusive and safe place for employees.
The same words and tactics are being used now, thirty-three years later. Extremists are blaming the devastation of the massive fires in California on DEI and being “woke.” I won’t amplify any of those voices by quoting them or linking to sources that do amplify them. I will say clearly and affirmatively that these tactics did not work thirty-three years ago, and they are not working now.
I will continue to develop and facilitate education on antidiscrimination and to support my clients in the creation of strategic plans that incorporate the importance of having a diverse community, the value of being inclusive, the ethics of equity and justice, and the positive results of having an organizational culture that helps people to feel like they belong and matter.
For those of you who are not DEIA experts and wonder what may happen if your employer succumbs to this unhealthy ‘anti-inclusion’ trend, here are some recommendations. First, I would ask myself the following questions:
1. Have I benefited by being in relationship with people who are different from myself (ethnically, racially, educationally, economically, culturally)?
2. Have I improved my communication skills and professional interaction through learning about microaggressions, unconscious bias, allyship, and other DEIA subjects?
3. Do I believe that people deserve to be protected from bullies, sexists, racists, homophobes, islamophobes, and antisemites?
4. Do I believe that there are barriers to full inclusion for BIPOC, LGBTQi, and other people including their national origin, religion, and other characteristics?
If you have answered “yes” to any of the above questions, BRAVO!
The next step is to determine how effective your organization’s DEIA efforts are. I have been ranting about this for years: not all programs are the same. A twenty-minute video may be sufficient to teach me how to create a pivot table on a spreadsheet, but is unlikely to help me to understand and navigate our long and painful history of racism. In other words, quality matters and so it is critical that those who are leading DEIA efforts are truly experts in this complicated and challenging field. Organizations that have made a solid commitment (aka investment) in sustainable, strategic DEIA cultures, including genuine support for their DEIA teams, have reaped the rewards. The qualitative and quantitative benefits are apparent as survey after survey shows. In our own case, more than 90% of the more than 10,000 attendees of our workshops have responded to the evaluations stating that their experience was positive and beneficial to their role in the organization. So, who do you think employers will ultimately listen to in the battle for organizational culture?
But Wendy, I am not a DEIA expert! What can I do? Well, there is quite a bit. If you are employed by an organization whether public, private, or non-profit, let the decision makers know that you have benefitted by the organization’s DEIA efforts and want them to continue. Let them know that you want to work in an organization where diversity is valued, inclusion is intentional, equal opportunities based on your experience and knowledge are the standard, and accessibility for everyone is expected. Do not wait for a statement on social media about your organization going back in time to speak up. Speak up now! If there is an anonymous employee feedback mechanism (for those of you who may not feel safe to speak out openly), then use that and encourage your co-workers to do so as well.

Employers will not want to risk losing their top employees or worse, having a mass exodus of employees because they sought to win favor with a temporary regime. Most employers know that they are doing much better because of diversity than they were before. There is a great deal of data to prove this. Now, you have an excellent opportunity remind them of this.
This applies to college students, customers and members of all types of organizations. We must ask if an organization which receives our resources: time, money, energy, and support is aligned with our values and beliefs. If not, we must exercise our right to choose the organizations that we can and should belong to.
Just as every vote counts during an election, every voice counts during times of cultural change. Rather than the one negative sound bite that is repeated incessantly on corporate media (whether cable or social media), think how incredible it would be if a multitude of voices expressing the belief that being ‘woke’ and diverse and inclusive and equitable and having access while belonging to a healthy organization is a fantastic thing!
By the way, I wrote the New York Post in response to the misinformation that they published. In that letter, I invited Ray Kerrison, the author of the article to attend one of my workshops. He never responded, although the paper did acknowledge the errors in his article. Additionally, the employee who led our LGBTQi group also wrote to the paper to clarify the facts regarding the minimal cost of the initiative (all members of the group participated voluntarily, at no cost to taxpayers) and the New York Post printed his letter.
Today is the perfect day for you to speak up. I expect that if you do, you will find that there are many, many other people who are in harmony with you.
Onward!
Wendy

 

I am a Proud DEI Hire!

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I am a Proud DEI Hire!

I am Dedicated

I have dedicated my life to the mission to “make manifest the value of all people.” Achieving that mission has included several chapters: working in the private sector as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, working in the public sector as an EEO Officer, in academia providing education to others who have chosen careers in service to others, and as a consultant working with a myriad of organizations.

I am Educated

When people ask me for recommendations on how to do what I do for a living, I consistently respond, “Get the best education in this field that you can.” Mine is a multidisciplinary field and so, practitioners may begin in the legal profession or in human resources or in training and development or in organizational psychology. Whichever the focus, it is critical to get a solid education in the history of discrimination, including sexual harassment and to have a fundamental understanding of employment law if you are going to be truly effective in this work.

I am Inspired

The motivation for committing my life to creating and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion is based on a childhood of being othered (being discriminated against, bullied, harassed, assaulted, and excluded) by those who were taught not to value my difference. Being subjected to hateful treatment resulted in my deep empathy for others who suffer the same. As one who has risen from brokenness, I break cycles of abuse and hatred. I am inspired and honored to do the work that I do.

Say it Loud!

When the haters try to co-opt our words and language with the intent of weaponizing them against us my response is to refuse to participate. I call on everyone who has been subjected to hatred based on any of your affinities or identities to say it loud, “I AM A PROUD DEI HIRE!” My diversity is an asset. Equity is a requisite for my participation, not rhetoric. I must be included—fully, fairly, and with respect. I am not asking for favors, or any special treatment. This is basic, fundamental, and a benefit to everyone who understands it.

I am Qualified

The gaslighting behind the anti-DEI movement is predicated on the lie that “DEI Hires” are not qualified. This lie is usually pushed by those whose own qualifications for whatever role they are in or are seeking may be questionable. There have been many times when I have seen the qualifications bar lowered for someone’s relative, friend, or former college roommate, I have never seen that bar lowered for a BIPOC candidate, an LGBTQi candidate, or a candidate with disabilities whether a new hire or for a promotion.

The ‘fake it till you make it’ crowd doesn’t seem to suffer from imposter syndrome as they have been privileged for years of being given opportunities without having to prove how qualified they are. While those of us who have been excluded tend to over-achieve so that there can be no question that we have earned our seat at the table.

Untie or Unite?

If someone tries to distract you from your goals or to convince you that you are better or worse than another person, ask yourself what they are trying to accomplish. Unity is an amazing and wonderful experience. When collaborating with a group of people whose diversity combines to create something new and exciting is seen as a threat or in any negative light, please question why. If someone tries to convince you that DEI is a bad thing, again, ask them why they see it this way. Attempts to untie, unravel, and undo unity or to disrupt harmony and to denigrate kindness are not new, they are just exponentially amplified by the anonymity of the internet. I have two words for the enablers and amplifiers of this rhetoric: Stop it!

I am a Leader

I have been in my chosen field of DEAIB for decades and as result have earned the respect and trust of many colleagues and clients. As a woman of mixed race and ethnicity who has navigated the many challenges of a world that fosters exclusion and discrimination (both as an employee and for twenty years as a small business owner), I have learned to be proud of my diversity, to see it as the asset that it is, in addition to my education and experience.

Earned Trust

Yesterday, the President of the United States passed the torch (picture the Statue of Liberty) by endorsing his Vice President to be the next President of the United States. President Biden is a white man who understands the importance of diversity of affinity and identity, perspective, and experience. He nominated Vice President Kamala Harris based on her decades of dedication to public service, her education and experience as a prosecutor, Attorney General, Senator, and Vice President, and her inspiration as a woman, a Black woman, a South Asian woman, a mixed race person, and a daughter of immigrants. Those identities and affinities are bonuses for us, the American People, as members of the most diverse nation in the world. As we rededicate our country to becoming one where equity is the foundation for our equality, and where inclusion of all is valued and embraced.

I am honored to have met Vice President Harris years ago, when she was the Attorney General of the State of California and I am proud to endorse her as the next President of the United States. I trust that she will serve our nation and our world with dignity, mindfulness, and gravitas as the first woman president in our 235 year history.

Onward!

Wendy Amengual Wark
Wendy@InclusionStrategy.com
www.InclusionStrategy.com

July 22, 2024

Photo: W. Amengual Wark, 2016

 

Fighting Words

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion / EEO, Equity, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fighting Words

I am a pacifist. I do not own a gun or any other weapons. I use words to combat to combat ignorance, hatred, and brutality and it is definitely time to fight.

 The increasingly dangerous assault on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) requires a coordinated and sustainable defense.

As a small business owner, I usually avoid entering into political discussions, but the body politic is at the greatest risk of my entire life. This has been many decades in the making and wishing it away, compromising, and conciliating clearly has not worked. We are in danger, and we must take action. All of us. Now. Failing means that we fall prey to those who, among other assaults on justice and equality, are trying to legalize child labor while simultaneously making certain human beings illegal. They are dangerous and relentless and amoral.

Those who have been conspiring to push civilization back to a time when less than one percent of the global population had 99 percent of the food, shelter, and representation depend on our division, frustration and exhaustion. They rely on our emotional responses to their irrational and illegal conduct. They expect us to eventually give up our rights and access and freedom.

I have interviewed many hundreds of people during investigations of discrimination claims. It is very easy to tell when most people are lying. It is equally difficult to tell when practiced liars lie. That is because they literally practice. They repeat their lies many times before sharing them with the public. Those lies are quoted in the media and further broadcast and amplified. The most practiced liars find others who will deny the truth with them begin quoting their lies, further amplifying them. Again, and again and again. This methodology is incredibly effective as those who do not know the truth can be effectively bamboozled.

Those who are adept at implementing this methodology are rewarded. Some have become phenomenally powerful members of government and industry as a result of lying. There seem to be no repercussions for doing so. On the contrary, I could name at least one dozen infamous people who are currently benefitting financially by willfully and intentionally misrepresenting the facts. As you read this, I am sure that you are picturing some of them.

The current assault on DEIA initiatives and programs that is being successfully launched by racists is intentional and unacceptable. Governmental representatives in several states are in the process of killing DEIA initiatives in the public and academic sectors as well as forcing private sector organizations with governmental contracts to do the same. This coincides with a concerted effort to censor books, free speech, and the study of history and the social sciences.

The destruction of forums for open and inclusive discourse replicates what happened in Germany, Italy, and elsewhere when fascists took control of those nations. Book burnings were a regular occurrence. Anyone who did not fit a very precise description of ‘us’ were persecuted, and that persecution ultimately escalated into the Holocaust.

Divisions are fomented and incited. Turning Blacks and Latinos against each other. Turning Jews and Asians against each other. Turning cisgender men against transgender women. Christians against the LGBTQI community. I could go on and on. We cannot allow ourselves to be divided. We cannot allow exclusion to win. We must fight. We must continue to fight.

I do not need to justify here why and how our communities, nations, and entire world benefit by embracing diversity and inclusivity, and requiring equity and access for all. The list is long and I have spent many, many years sharing it, with passion and data and evidence.

I do not need to explain why racism is bad. Why fascism is bad. Why discrimination of all kinds is bad. It should be obvious. It is even obvious to those currently vilifying being ‘woke.’ They know that everyone benefits when we live inclusively, but they espouse bizarro-world opposites to reality again and again and again.

I am tired. Incredibly tired. Everyone who does this work is. Tired of the lies. Tired of the gaslighting. Tired of the misinformation and disinformation. Tired of white fragility and tired of white supremacy.

I am so tired. Yet, I am not as tired as my ancestors were after 16 hours of cutting down sugar cane under the relentless Caribbean sun. I am not as tired as children who were chained to sewing machines on this very island of Manhattan for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. I am not as tired as the many millions who came before me who did not have the privilege to speak up without risking their lives and safety.

Decades ago, right-wing conservatives successfully turned the word ‘liberal’ into a derogatory word. They are attempting to do that again with the word ‘woke.’ I refuse to be sucked into their vortex of manipulation.

This is not just a debate about semantics. Silence does equal death. People are dying. People are being killed by racists who face minimal repercussions for committing murder.

Every single day, we – those of us who believe in diversity as a great thing, inclusion as a necessary thing, and equity as an absolute minimum requirement for survival – must persist and prevail and push back.

“But what can I do?” You ask.

  1. Get loud and stay loud. Call out racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, ablism, and all forms of discrimination.
  2. Write your elected officials (this is especially critical at the local level: school boards, city councils, and state legislatures) and share your opinions and concerns.
  3. Pay attention! Encourage everyone who you know to read and listen and to pay careful attention to decisions being made by elected and appointed officials.
  4. Vote! And help other people, especially marginalized people, to register and then get to a place where they can vote.
  5. Amplify the voices of those who speak truth to power, voices that have been historically silenced and marginalized.
  6. Do not amplify the voices of the liars, gas lighters, haters, racists, and fascists.
  7. Do not be polite if someone dismisses fact as opinion. Facts are facts.
  8. Vote with your wallet. Make sure that every organization that you support is committed to DEIA and not just window-dressing. Find out if they are donating to politicians who are preaching hatred and do not contribute to that by purchasing their product or service.
  9. Connect with others who are fighting for equity and justice. Support each other, vent, cheer each other on. It is really important that we remind each other that we are not alone.
  10. Practice self-care and care for those around you. (Sometimes this means unplugging and taking a break from the doom and gloom of reality so that you can refuel and come back stronger and clearer and more focused on the mission.)

I need your help. I commit to continuing to work to keep a small group of extremists from destroying all that we have accomplished. We can only succeed if we do this together.

Onward!

~ Wendy 

Wendy Amengual Wark
Founding Partner
Inclusion Strategy Solutions
Inclusion Strategy Solutions LLC
Wendy@InclusionStrategy.com