May Snowden (She, Her, Hers)’s Post

What an incredibly powerful webinar we hosted yesterday on “Does Race Translate? A Cross Cultural Exploration.” We were very fortunate to be joined by three DEI thought leaders to unpack this topic from a global perspective: Celia De Anca, Deputy Dean for Ethics, Diversity & Inclusion at IE University, Spain; Lilian Rauld, DEI Lead for Sodexo, Brazil; and Marcelle Laliberté, Dr., Chief DEI Officer for HEC, France. We had close to 180 registrants from the US, and Canada; in Europe from France, Belgium, UK, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy; In Asia from: Australia, India, Korea, Singapore; In Africa from: S Africa and Ghana and in LATAM from: Argentina, Curacao, Mexico. We know that race and racism are topics that are emotionally and politically charged and often talked about in code or not at all. And while racism is universal, it shows up in a very local way because dominant and subordinate groups are based on local power structures. We also know that systems of discrimination exist everywhere. But how race is approached, how identity is defined- all of this is very local and may be completely different to how you approach race and identity in your context. The panel illustrated this with examples from their countries. During the webinar we learned that in Europe, race is considered a harmful social construct. The preference is to use objective criteria like citizenship and migration rather than race or ethnicity – and this has historical roots. I know first-hand that this can cause tremendous frustration especially for Americans who have been informed by the civil rights history in the US where race is the driving social force. Outside the US racism is often tangled up with ethnicity, religion, caste, which take more prominence than race and race may be one of several identities that divide and play a less prominent role. It became clear that to address racism, we must first understand it in its local context. We learned that in Europe there are hate speech laws that would make First Amendment advocates in the US balk. We recognized that there is no right or wrong- just different ways of approaching the topic based on local histories, laws and practices. And this shows up in differences in terminology used- in what is openly discussed and what is taboo. For example, the term “Negro” is used in Brazil, but is offensive in the US. The panel discussed how discrimination is addressed and what data can be obtained. And we discussed colorism with examples from India and Brazil. Did you know that in Brazil they have 136 different shades that people self-identify? And that in India half of all skin products are skin lighteners? The chat was ablaze with participants posting experiences, examples and thoughts. And they've asked for a part 2 to this webinar! Thank you to all who joined as well to the panelists and my awesome team, Imraan Lilani, Leanne Thomas, Laura Shipler Chico.

Did you miss our blog while you were out for a long 4th of July weekend? Read it to see all the benefits #DEI brings to an #organization and why Ted Lasso is so good at #leadership. #diversity #equity #inclusion #bias #socialresponsibility https://lnkd.in/gj8vMSU3

Diversity, equity and inclusion lead us to courageous conversations and yes, reorganization and restructuring. When we do it right, it can bring out and reinforce the BEST we have to give in society. For all of us. It can elevate brilliance that was before unacknowledged and barred from leadership positions throughout American society to create solutions in a whole new way. America is talking about the take down of Dr. Claudine Gay (and it was a take down) as a nail in the coffin for DEI. We should be worried. #DEI #diversityequityinclusion https://lnkd.in/eXAU5k2p

Happy Monday! On the blog today, Sameeksha Dandriyal explains silent racism and how organizations can address the issue to avoid confrontation. “Silent racism is the subtle and often unintentional perpetuation of racial biases through policies, practices, and attitudes that appear neutral but disadvantage racial minorities. Unlike overt racism, silent racism can be deeply ingrained in organizational cultures and colleagues, making it more challenging to identify and address.” Read the full article on the PR & Lattes blog: https://lnkd.in/e5tMaW9Q #PRAndLattes #PR #PublicRelations #Communication #Blog #SilentRacism #Inclusion

📍 Event: Anti-Racism Course for Leaders & DEI Advocates 🗓 Date: 21st November ⏱ Time: 17:00 to 19:30 EET | 15:00-17:30 GMT 📚 Reference: 'Being Black in the EU 2023' report. Racism has mostly been defined as an American problem, despite Europe's colonial history and current statistics on racism, anti-Blackness and Islamophobia. The attainment of independence by colonised people ushered in a new form of colonialism. It is formalised racism through trade agreements, immigration policies, and countless other avenues including education and employment. There is no separation between racist structures, organisational culture & colonial business. European-ancestry people continue to develop and uphold racism for uneven power around the globe. Colonialism is tied to how we understand the global issue that is racism.   Racism can be seen in the way we:   1️⃣ Learn, cover and misunderstand anti-racism and DEI.   2️⃣ Forge relationships and partnerships and develop solutional initiatives and programmes.   3️⃣ Interpret experiences as monolithic in the absence of disaggregated data in Europe including the Nordic countries.   Anti-racism is NOT:   🔴 Knowing or working with people of different ethnicities and nationalities.   🔴 Organising / attending events & taking pictures with racially minoritised people to give onself credibility as a racial equity & anti-racism proponent or 'expert'.   🔴 Lurking, benefiting & appropriating the content and struggles of the Black and racially marginalised people you do not directly support, sponsor or hire.   🔴 Learning and instructing teams on anti-racism through materials that are not created by the most racially marginalised people and assuming anyone can stand in/speak for us, especially people of African ancestry.   🔴 Supporting the people and organisations that are doing any or all of the above which is prime anti-Blackness and contributes to the falsehood that they are effectively dismantling the racism they themselves do not endure.   Racism does not come from a specific gender, community, profession or location. It is perpetuated and accepted by people from various identities and within different dimensions, regardless of race, culture, marginalisation, education, religion, immigration status, etc. How, then, do we deal with is?   ✅ Accept the experiences of people as diverse not monolithic.   ✅ Examine racism from the experiences of the least privileged and most affected communities.   ✅ Design solutions with the guidance of people with the lived experience of racism and involve your entire organisation in anti-racism training. No one should be exempt especially those at the top of the chain!   Denial will keep you topping these hideous lists. Your proximity to an immigrant or Black person will not save you. Are you ready to learn and act? Join us for Crest Impact's anti-racism session!   Registration: https://lnkd.in/dzuXW6aP The report: https://lnkd.in/dEszGu83   #AntiRacism #DiversityEquityInclusion

In our last session, there was such richness in the conversations around the question:✨ How do we explore the nuance needed within ‘global DEI concepts’ to facilitate real change? ✨ These were some examples raised by you from our discussion: 🌍 Employees in countries (eg in South East Asia) can struggle to execute corporate DEI initiatives originating from global Western organisations. For example, how might 'Black history month' translate in a country where 'Black people' are not part of the country's historical context? What are the steps to 'adapt' in a way that meaningfully addresses the racial inequities of the local market? 🌎 DEI can sometimes be framed and dominated by a 'single issue' challenge eg. a 'White vs Black' narrative. Those from other minority ethnic groups (eg Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese) can feel they're not being heard, or stereotyped as a 'monolithic group' -feeling dismissed as a result. 🌏 In some countries eg Korea and Japan, the topic of race is less relevant in the quest for equality. Instead, traditional belief systems around 'hierarchy' is the dominant system of inequality to address & dismantle. This is often all the more complex because it's deeply ingrained within the cultures & traditions we hold dear. What tools can we use to address this? 3 KEY LEARNINGS I took out was: ❇ A COPY AND PASTE approach simply doesn't work for meaningful change. ❇ Inclusion, exclusion, inequity shows up in all cultures. But they take different forms in different countries. We must take a 'localised' and nuanced lens. ❇ As Audre Lord said, "There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle, because we do not live single-issue lives." We must avoid the desire to flatten complexity. Pooja S. and I met over our shared belief that DEI narratives today need a more expansive framework in order to translate across cultures. WHY YOU SHOULDN'T MISS THIS: ✅ An opportunity to reflect on how DEI is conveyed through a ‘Western framework’ ✅ Share and hear perspectives on how current DEI concepts translate in different cultures ✅ Explore what a ‘culturally- inclusive DEI practice’ might look like ✅ Take an approach that embraces 'cultural humility' (vs 'cultural expertise) ✅ Discuss key takeaways on how to take a more nuanced, globally empathetic approach to DEI into your workplace. We invite you to learn WITH us from a place of curiosity - so that we can deepen our collective understanding of how inequality shows up across different cultures. Sign up in link here and below! https://lnkd.in/eeaWfCyM Looking forward to another rich conversation with all of you. 💥 SAVE THE DATE: Next Wednesday, 20th March! (1500 GMT) Block it in your calendars today! #Inclusion #DEI #Culture #CulturalAwareness #CulturalExchange

🌍 Join me tomorrow at 8am PST for an enriching discussion on Global DEI concepts! 🌟 Having spent significant time abroad last year, I've delved into fascinating conversations surrounding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Tomorrow, we'll explore the nuanced approach required when DEI perspectives differ from the familiar context of the US. In countries like Lithuania and Taiwan, where ethnic diversity may not mirror that of the US, DEI efforts take on a unique flavor. With a spotlight on gender equality, these nations have made remarkable strides. Did you know that Lithuania ranks #11 globally and #7 in Europe for closing at least 80% of the gender gap, while Taiwan leads in Asia and ranks #6 worldwide in the UN's equality index? Reflecting on my experiences, I'm proud to be part of Baltic Amadeus (BA), a Lithuanian IT company, and the steps they have taken to foster inclusivity. As the diversity within their employee pool continues to expand, it becomes crucial to address the challenge of varying language proficiencies among team members. Demonstrating their commitment to ensuring full engagement for all, I had the privilege of witnessing the executive team effortlessly deliver speeches in both Lithuanian and English during the grand opening of their new office. It's great to see how the company is willing to adapt and take proactive steps to support our evolving workforce. Let's chat about the nuances of global DEI tomorrow morning. Your insights and perspectives are invaluable as we navigate these important conversations. See you there! If you can’t make it, please share any thoughts or questions you might have below. 🌟 #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #GlobalDEI #BalticAmadeus #InclusiveLeadership

DEI too often doesn’t take a truly global lens. It’s essential to ensure DEI is not just taken from the Western lens that corporate initiatives too often take. The issues to consider and initiatives that drive change in Seattle aren’t going to be the same in Singapore or São Paulo. Learn more from Chin Ru Foo on why: ❇ A COPY AND PASTE approach simply doesn't work for meaningful change. ❇ Inclusion, exclusion, inequity shows up in all cultures. But they take different forms in different countries. We must take a 'localised' and nuanced lens. ❇ As Audre Lord said, "There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle, because we do not live single-issue lives." https://lnkd.in/djRzJDUC #leadership #DEI #DiversityEquityAndInclusion #globalworkforce #globalization

Some nice feedback on my #DEI keynote from the association: "Thanks again for today. I had a meeting after the presentation with many people that had attended, and they really enjoyed listening to you navigating such a controversial topic and covering all sides. Very thought provoking. We all agreed that we can easily listen to you for hours." I took a big picture approach: Why DEI is important and meaningful; why it is reasonable (not radical); the business case for DEI; the ethical case for DEI; you can disagree with some of the tactics, but the principles are here to stay... So what are the principles? What is DEI trying to achieve? What's at the bottom of it all? 1. Less #racism and #bigotry in society. 2. Better equality of opportunity. 3. Treating everyone with #dignity and #respect. At the end of the day, our society is already diverse. Demographically, we are already multi-cultural. This is a fact of reality. So we can either do diversity well—treating everyone with dignity and respect—or we can push for segregation, racial purity, or some other horrid opposite of diversity. Not much of a choice here. #Inclusion #equity #diversity #ethics #leadership #coaching Advanture Consulting